第194页 Where to Start with John Coltrane

At first glance, Coltrane might seem easier to grasp than, say, Miles Davis. After all, Coltrane’s best work spans roughly one decade. But he squeezed so much musical activity into this short period that the newcomer faces more than fifty albums to choose from, each one admired and acclaimed by devotees. So I will ruthlessly simplify the process for you and suggest two albums from each period. For early John Coltrane, when he still had strong ties to the hard bop tradition, I would recommend Blue Train and Giant Steps, both recorded in the late 1950s. For Coltrane’s 1960s modal explorations, I recommend My Favourite Things and A Love Supreme. From his brief but inspired period of moody romanticism, I steer you to Ballads and John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. For Coltrane’s final plunge into free jazz, go to Ascension and Meditations. Start with the facet of this artist most aligned with your personal tastes, but then push yourself outside of your listening comfort zone.