John Coltrane: Meditations (Verve Vault series) [VERVE]

Why you'll love it

This Verve Vault edition is remastered on 180g vinyl in a gatefold jacket and pressed in Germany. Meditations is the last recording by Coltrane's classic quartet, here widened to a sextet with Pharoah Sanders and Rashied Ali.

This edition

• Verve Vault series
• 180g vinyl
• Gatefold jacket
• Remastered
• Pressed in Germany
• Stereo mix

About the album

Two drummers, two tenor saxophones and one very big idea. Meditations is a suite in five movements, the spiritual sequel to A Love Supreme, and Coltrane gathered McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, then added Pharoah Sanders on second tenor and Rashied Ali on second drum kit, with Bob Thiele producing for Impulse!

The suite plays straight through across two sides. "The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost" opens in a whirlwind of overlapping horns and cascading drums, Coltrane and Sanders pushing each other higher. Sanders' searing tenor and Coltrane's long, searching lines make a thrilling contrast, while the two drummers keep the rhythm in constant motion. "Compassion" lets Tyner's piano roll in great waves, "Love" turns tender and hymn-like, "Consequences" surges again, and "Serenity" brings everything home to rest.

A quartet version of most of the suite, recorded in September 1965, later appeared as First Meditations, a fascinating look at where it started. The finished album points straight toward the late period, two men on drums included; it's the musical equivalent of a sermon delivered by a full congregation.

Also at Kops: more John Coltrane on vinyl · browse Modern Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Impulse! / Verve (cat# A-9110), a reissue of the 1966 album.