About

A TAV Essential Listening Album.

“A Love Supreme is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist and bandleader John Coltrane. He recorded the album with his quartet—featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones—in one session on December 9, 1964, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Coltrane's home in Dix Hills, Long Island, has been suggested as the site of inspiration for A Love Supreme. His exposure to Ahmadiyya Islam has also been suggested as a source of influence.

Released by Impulse! Records in January 1965, A Love Supreme became a top-selling album for Coltrane and one of jazz's most critically acclaimed recordings. It has often been viewed as one of the greatest albums of all time, a deeply spiritual work, and Coltrane's masterpiece.” - Wiki

“The masterwork of saxophonist John Coltrane, A Love Supreme remains a cultural icon: a life-changing work of art that resounds on all spiritual levels. A four-part suite about faith and redemption, it is more than a statement of piety, more even than the beautiful music contained within. A Love Supreme inspired and defined a generation, who responded to Trane's message of universal peace and love; but you don't have to be part of the former hippie revolution or even know anything about religion to feel the power of the music. Only the most sullen athiest would not be moved by A Love Supreme, and no musician can deny this is one of the most formidable jazz quartets of all time: holding court with Trane is his student piano virtuoso McCoy Tyner, and the rocket-fueled rhythm section of bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. It is said that before making this particular album, Coltrane was spoken to by God; and after hearing A Love Supreme that rumour is not hard to believe at all.” – Sputnik Music

“What makes A Love Supreme great? Unlike many other suites, A Love Supreme has a real unity of theme and mood. The intention is noble, the tone passionate, the playing flawless. There are hundreds of fine jazz albums, many of which are aided by Mr. Coltrane's playing; A Love Supreme is a fine jazz album, and more. It reaches a depth of emotional power rarely sounded in jazz. Coltrane's playing is powerful, as it is elsewhere, and lyrical, as it is elsewhere, but nowhere else does the man reach such a fullness of both these qualities at the same time. In contrast to some of his later work, Coltrane on A Love Supreme is powerful without being violent and lyrical without meandering. Jones is stunningly powerful here, and yet never overshadows the leader. Tyner and Garrison take solo turns that match Coltrane's work in tone and embellish the whole structure.

Miles Davis began playing modal tunes in the late 1950s; Coltrane, of course, was there, and together they made the first great extended statement of modal jazz, Kind of Blue. A Love Supreme stands right with that work. If you can own only two jazz albums, these two are the ones to go for; if you have room for only one Coltrane album, this one should be it.” – All About Jazz

Musicians:

McCoy Tyner, piano

John Coltrane, tenor saxophone

Jimmy Garrison, bass

Elvin Jones, drums

Item description: