Lush Life John Coltrane & Thelonious Monk

• 1Like Someone In Love05:01
• 2I Love You05:33
• 3Trane's Slo Blues06:06
• 4Lush Life14:00
• 5I Hear A Rhapsody06:02
• Total Runtime36:42

Info for Lush Life

The first three tracks on 'Lush Life' (from May and August 1957) were recorded in a trio session with only bass and drums accompanying Trane on tenor. The piano-less format is surprisingly full sounding and Coltrane's solos are at once fun loving and thoughtful. The playing of Earl May (bass) and Art Taylor (drums) is warm and robust and perfectly compliments Coltrane's muscular, R&B-inspired lyricism. Tracks four and five (from January 1958) feature a different rhythm section along with some elegant, delicate piano work from Red Garland. The title track is an unabashedly romantic, film noir-ish tour-de-force that completely enthralls the listener for all of its nearly 14 minutes. In addition, the cut features an astonishingly beautiful trumpet solo from the great Donald Byrd. Recorded in the same period as 'Blue Train', one of Coltrane's greatest masterpieces, 'Lush Life' is a perfect (and also, thanks to master engineer/producer Rudy Van Gelder, sonically stunning) example of the master's early playing at it's most sensitive and exuberant.

John Coltrane, tenor saxophone
Donald Byrd, trumpet
Red Garland, piano
Earl May, bass
Paul Chambers, bass
Art Taylor, drums
Louis Hayes, drums
Albert 'Tootie' Heath, drums

Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Hackensack, New Jersey between May 1957 and January 10, 1958

Digitally remastered

John Coltrane
Born September 23, 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina, John Coltrane was always surrounded by music. His father played several instruments sparking Coltrane’s study of E-flat horn and clarinet. While in high school, Coltrane’s musical influences shifted to the likes of Lester Young and Johnny Hodges prompting him to switch to alto saxophone. He continued his musical training in Philadelphia at Granoff Studios and the Ornstein School of Music. He was called to military service during WWII, where he performed in the U.S. Navy Band in Hawaii.

After the war, Coltrane began playing tenor saxophone with the Eddie 'CleanHead' Vinson Band, and was later quoted as saying, 'A wider area of listening opened up for me. There were many things that people like Hawk, and Ben and Tab Smith were doing in the ‘40’s that I didn’t understand, but that I felt emotionally.' Prior to joining the Dizzy Gillespie band, Coltrane performed with Jimmy Heath where his passion for experimentation began to take shape. However, it was his work with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1958 that would lead to his own musical evolution. ' Miles music gave me plenty of freedom,' he once said. During that period, he became known for using the three-on-one chord approach, and what has been called the ‘sheets of sound,’ a method of playing multiple notes at one time.

By 1960 Coltrane had formed his own quartet which included pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones, and bassist Jimmy Garrison. Eventually adding players like Eric Dolphy, and Pharoah Sanders. The John Coltrane Quartet created some of the most innovative and expressive music in Jazz history including the hit albums: 'My Favorite Things,' 'Africa Brass,' ' Impressions,' ' Giant Steps,' and his monumental work 'A Love Supreme' which attests to the power, glory, love, and greatness of God. Coltrane felt we must all make a conscious effort to effect positive change in the world, and that his music was an instrument to create positive thought patterns in the minds of people.

In 1967, liver disease took Coltrane’s life leaving many to wonder what might have been. Yet decades after his departure his music can be heard in motion pictures, on television and radio. Recent film projects that have made references to Coltrane’s artistry in dialogue or musical compositions include, 'Mr. Holland’s Opus', 'The General’s Daughter', 'Malcolm X', 'Mo Better Blues', 'Jerry McGuire', 'White Night', 'The Last Graduation', 'Come Unto Thee', 'Eyes On The Prize II' and 'Four Little Girls'. Also, popular television series such as 'NYPD Blue', 'The Cosby Show', 'Day’s Of Our Lives', 'Crime Stories' and 'ER', have also relied on the beautiful melodies of this distinguished saxophonist.

In 1972, 'A Love Supreme' was certified gold by the RIAA for exceeding 500,000 units in Japan. This jazz classic and the classic album 'My Favorite Things' were certified gold in the United States in 2001.

In 1982, the RIAA posthumously awarded John Coltrane a Grammy Award of ' Best Jazz Solo Performance' for the work on his album, 'Bye Bye Blackbird'. In 1997 he received the organizations highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

On June 18, 1993 Mrs. Alice Coltrane received an invitation to The White House from former President and Mrs. Clinton, in appreciation of John Coltrane’s historical appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival.

In 1995, John Coltrane was honored by the United States Postal Service with a commemorative postage stamp. Issued as part of the musicians and composers series, this collectors item remains in circulation.

In 1999, Universal Studios and its recording division MCA Records recognized John Coltrane’s influence on cinema by naming a street on the Universal Studios lot in his honor.

In 2001, The NEA and the RIAA released 360 songs of the Century . Among them was John Coltrane’s 'My Favorite Things.' (Source: www.johncoltrane.com)

Booklet for Lush Life