A Love Supreme

Glen, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman are incomparable! -Sam

Clearly one of the major ones, though, for me, Crescent is a bit more compelling and Ballads only a bit less compelling. So much greatness in his work that its hard to single out any one album for special attention.

FOR JOHN COLTRANE

They should have
shown you to the sun
so he could know
his rival

you might have
made the world go mellow,

turned empty tables
golden with your sound

we are lucky, I suppose,
that they let you blow at all
their love is gold
that turns to dollars

yours streamed from your mouth
as free as air
as rare as free

still I can say
to children I don't have yet
Once upon a time, a Coltrane
walked the earth,

and hope
that they grow ears

Deborah D'Amico

"A Love Supreme" is an appealing, inspired, and inspirational set indeed. I've been moved by it for over thirty years: moved to tears, to reflection, to action, to dance.

Other Coltrane recordings that move me similarly are "Sun Ship", "First Meditations", "Kulu Se Mama", and most of the music from the 1961 Village Vanguard gig. "Crescent" and "Ole Coltrane" are also indispensable. "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman", "Duke Ellington and John Coltrane", and "Lush Life" all have much to offer. And I really enjoy Trane's playing with Monk and his recordings with Miles after he returned from Monk university.

The music is so good they have a church here in San Francisco and play that one song as liturgy for over an hour.
SDcampbell: I know he had different phases but you stated his career took off artistically AFTER this recording. This was recorded in 1964. I'd say after '64 his music matured spiritually and he was exploring after having found his voice. But Giant Steps, Blue Train, Coltrane, Live at the Village Vanguard, Ballads, et al. came before this album. I think his pre-1964 was the artistic search for that sound. you can hear him getting closer with each album, starting with the New Miles Davis Quintet. Ascension and Sun Ship are very different from his earlier work and from a love Supreme. It's all amazing, though. Comments?