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Avg: 4.5 (464 ratings)
- Date Released: May 31, 1957
- Genre: Jazz
- Style: Classic Jazz, Bebop
- Label: Fantasy / Prestige
As classic as it gets.
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We Say...
John Coltrane established himself as a solo artist with a prolific series of recordings in 1957 and ’58, yet the sessions comprising Lush Life still stand out amid this creative torrent for a couple of reasons. Because Red Garland failed to show up at the studio, the first three tracks put Trane in the relatively rare context of a piano-less trio, and bassist Earl May’s judicious style provides further elbow room for the lyrical gushes of sax on the love songs and the blues — soulful yet quicksilver phrases demarcated by rhythmic eddies and reveries.
But most of all this collection is renowned for Coltrane’s ability (abetted by a full quintet here) to vividly convey both the grandeur and the intimacy of “Lush Life,” during his 14-minute treatment of Billy Strayhorn’s classic composition. His emotional discernment and restraint enhance the poignant turns-of-phrase, an acute sensibility perhaps indebted to his own struggles with drug addiction at the time. But “Lush Life” is hardly a solo triumph: both arco and pizzicato, this is one of bassist’s Paul Chambers’ more noteworthy accompaniments, and Garland’s lengthy piano solo nourished his reputation as a master of silky ballads. The disc closes with the nascent, relatively pacific, hard bop of “I Hear a Rhapsody.” -
They Say...
Lush Life (1958) is among John Coltrane's best endeavors on the Prestige label. One reason can easily be attributed to the interesting personnel and the subsequent lack of a keyboard player for the August 16, 1957 session that yielded the majority of the material. Coltrane (tenor sax) had to essentially lead the compact trio of himself, Earl May (bass), and Art Taylor (drums). The intimate setting is perfect for ballads such as the opener "Like Someone in Love." Coltrane doesn't have to supplement the frequent redundancy inherent in pianists, so he has plenty of room to express himself through simple and ornate passages. Unifying the slippery syncopation and slightly Eastern feel of "I Love You" is the tenor's prevalent capacity for flawless, if not downright inspired on-the-spot "head" arrangements that emerge singular and clear, never sounding preconceived. Even at an accelerated pace, the rhythm section ably prods the backbeat without interfering. A careful comparison will reveal that "Trane's Slo Blues" is actually a fairly evident derivation (or possibly a different take) of "Slowtrane." But don't let the title fool you as the mid-tempo blues is undergirded by a lightheartedness. May provides a platform for Coltrane's even keeled runs before the tenor drops out, allowing both May and then Taylor a chance to shine. The fun cat-and-mouse-like antics continue as Taylor can be heard encouraging the tenor player to raise the stakes and the tempo -- which he does to great effect. The practically quarter-hour reading of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" is not only the focal point of this album, it is rightfully considered as one of Coltrane's unqualified masterworks. The performance hails from January 10, 1958 as Coltrane sits in with Red Garland (piano), Donald Byrd (trumpet), Paul Chambers (bass), and Louis Hayes (drums). Coltrane handles the tune's delicate complexities with infinite style and finesse. Garland similarly sparkles at the 88s, while Byrd's solo offers a bit of a tonal alternative. It should be noted that the reading here does not include a vocal from Johnny Hartman. That version can be found on the ever imaginatively monikered John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman (1963).
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| 01. |  |
Like Someone in Love |
5:00 |
|
| 02. | |
I Love You |
5:33 |
|
| 03. | |
Trane's Slo Blues |
6:05 |
|
| 04. | |
Lush Life |
14:00 |
|
| 05. | |
I Hear a Rhapsody |
6:01 |
|
05 Total Tracks, 36:39 Total Length
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Credits
- Red Garland - Piano // Red Garland - Piano // Red Garland - Piano // Red Garland - Piano // Red Garland - Piano // Red Garland - Piano // Louis Hayes - Drums // Louis Hayes - Drums // Louis Hayes - Drums // Louis Hayes - Drums // Art Taylor - Drums // Donald Byrd - Trumpet // Donald Byrd - Trumpet // Paul Chambers - Bass // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Sax (Tenor) // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // John Coltrane - Main Performer // Esmond Edwards - Artwork // Esmond Edwards - Design // Esmond Edwards - Cover Photo // Rudy Van Gelder - Engineer // Rudy Van Gelder - Author // Rudy Van Gelder - Remastering // Joe Goldberg - Liner Notes // Albert "Tootie" Heath - Drums // Earl May - Bass // Nick Phillips - Reissue Producer // Bob Weinstock - Supervisor // Earl Chambers - ? // Martin Williams - Liner Notes // Joe Tarantino - Mastering // Joe Tarantino - Digital Remastering // Frank Kofsky - Liner Notes // Shigeo Miyamoto - Mastering Engineer // Stuart Kremsky - Reissue Production Assistance // Tamaki Beck - Supervisor
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