Coltrane Plays the Blues

by John Coltrane

Overview

Coltrane's sessions for Atlantic in late October 1960 were prolific, yielding the material for My Favorite Things, Coltrane Plays the Blues, and Coltrane's Sound. My Favorite Things was destined to be the most remembered and influential of these, and while Coltrane Plays the Blues is not as renowned or daring in material, it is still a powerful session. As for the phrase "plays the blues" in the title, that's not an indicator that the tunes are conventional blues (they aren't). It's more indicative of a bluesy sensibility, whether he is playing muscular saxophone or, on "Blues to Bechet" and "Mr. Syms," the more unusual sounding (at the time) soprano sax. Elvin Jones, who hadn't been in Coltrane's band long, really busts out on the quicker numbers, such as "Blues to You" and "Mr. Day." [Some reissues add five bonus tracks: two alternates apiece of "Blues to Elvin" and "Blues to You," and "Untitled Original (Exotica)." All three were recorded on October 24, 1960. Also, a two-CD Expanded Edition released in 2017 included 13 bonus tracks recorded between 1957 and 1960, featuring the aforementioned Jones, pianist McCoy Tyner and bassist Steve Davis (both also heard on the original Plays the Blues album), as well as such additional jazz luminaries as Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Gene Ammons, Cecil Payne, Pepper Adams, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Red Garland, Mal Waldron, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor.] ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	05/31/2024
Label:	Analogue Prod.
UPC:	0753088754173
Rank:	100792

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Coltrane   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Steve Davis   Guest Artist,Bass
Elvin Jones   Guest Artist,Drums
McCoy Tyner   Guest Artist,Piano
Doug Watkins   Bass
Jamil Nasser   Bass
Lee Morgan   Trumpet
Pepper Adams   Baritone
Jerome Richardson   Flute
Jimmy Cobb   Drums
Milt Jackson   Vibraphone
Art Taylor   Drums
Hank Jones   Piano
Sahib Shibab   Baritone
Albert "Tootie" Heath   Drums
Cecil Payne   Baritone
Mal Waldron   Piano
Wynton Kelly   Piano
Paul Chambers   Bass
Johnny Splawn   Trumpet
Philly Joe Jones   Drums
George Joyner   Bass
Red Garland   Piano
Paul Quinichette   Sax (Tenor)
Kenny Drew   Piano
Connie Kay   Drums
Earl May   Bass
Curtis Fuller   Trombone
Donald Byrd   Trumpet
Gene Ammons   Sax (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Pepper Adams   Composer
Nesuhi Ertegun   Producer,Supervisor
Milt Jackson   Composer
Mal Waldron   Arranger,Composer
Tom Dowd   Engineer
Lee Friedlander   Cover Photo
Vanessa Atkins   Editorial Supervision
Bob Slutzky   Cover Design
Daniel Hersch   Remastering
Steve Bates   Reissue Art Director
Bob Weinstock   Composer
Neil Tesser   Composer,Annotation
John Coltrane   Composer
Elvin Jones   Composer