Coltrane live at Birdland on Impulse! A-50

May 20, 2022

Coltrane live is of course a wonderful treat. I just wish I could have been able to seen and experience the classic quartet live myself. Would have been unreal I’m sure. So I have to do with the LP’s they left behind and that’s not a bad deal at all. Love the Impulse! label for all they did to promote post bop and the avant-garde. And Coltrane was in the middle of it all, releasing beautiful albums on the label throughout the 60’s.

This LP is a mix of tunes recorded live at the Birdland club in NYC and a couple of studio recordings. The whirlwind “Afro Blue” which kicks off the album is a frenetic display of improvisational prowess where Coltrane excels on the soprano. The album also contains “Alabama”, the haunting tribute to the four girls killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 by cowardly white supremacists. It’s difficult to listen to this beautiful tribute as your mind wanders and think of that dark event. It’s one of Coltrane’s best compositions.

A wonderful album that I highly recommend if you haven’t heard it, which I very much doubt.

I hope you’re all doing great and that you are enjoying your collections. Stay safe. Cheers!

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"Crescent" by the John Coltrane Quartet on Impulse A-66

April 27, 2022

Out of all the Coltrane albums this is one of my absolute favorites. It’s the classic quartet, doing their thing, what more is there to say really? For me, this is jazz perfection. It’s lyrical but progressive. It’s full of musical brilliance, passion and warmth. A beautiful mix of tunes which leaves you wanting more.

It took me some time to find this original mono pressing. A few of these Coltrane on Impulse are quite difficult to find. They are still quite reasonably priced it seems. So you get a lot for your buck when you invest in these albums. Worth every penny.

Out of all the Coltranes on Impulse, do you have a favorite? Maybe you can give me your top 3? “Crescent” is definitely in my top 3.

On the new arrivals front I have just secured a couple of nice titles. Looking forward to receiving those. Amazing music on both of them. It will be the first titles in my collection that features these artists as leaders, which is quite exciting. I enjoy both musicians a lot. Stay tuned.

I hope you’re having a great week and that you are enjoying your collections and life in general. Cheers!

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Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus by Charles Mingus on Impulse! A-54

September 4, 2021

I never get tired of Mingus music. It’s so rich and full of contrasts. I have managed to add a few of his masterpieces to the collection, but there are several albums missing for sure. The album on display is a great one. Recorded on two different dates in 1963 with two large ensembles, including such jazz luminaries as Dolphy, Byard, Ervin, Richmond and Mariano, to name but a few.

Perfect music for a lazy Saturday afternoon such as this. I’m actually all alone in the apartment right now, so I can indulge myself a bit and play a few records from the collection, write a post and just relax with some coffee. One of my favorite tunes from this album is Ellington/Bigard’s “Mood Indigo”. A fabulous, calm piece of music which soothes the soul and feels quite warm and pleasing. Great double bass by Mingus.

This album is a nice Mingus-experience. If you haven’t heard this but enjoy Mingus and his large ensemble stuff I can highly recommend this album. Most of the tunes recorded for this album had been previously recorded and appear on other Mingus albums, some with different titles.

Some questions: do you have a favorite Mingus recording, single song or entire album? Thoughts on the album on display? Are you a fan of these large ensemble recordings or do you prefer smaller groups, or both?

It’s starting to get colder here in Stockholm…autumn is on it’s way for sure. Feels like the summer went away far too fast. Well, looking forward to some cozy evenings with warm coffee and jazz… cheers!

PS. I’ve now joined the vinyl community on Instagram. The handle is “fwrarejazzvinylcollector”. :-)

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"The Blues and the Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson on Impulse! A-5

June 29, 2021

A classic Impulse! title that you should own.

“Stolen Moments” is the opening tune of this album and it stands out. Freddie Hubbard plays such a wonderful solo on this beautiful, soothing and calm piece of music. It’s composed, like all the other tunes on this album, by Oliver Nelson. The personnel on this session is a dream line-up, consisting of Nelson on tenor and alto, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Eric Dolphy on alto and flute, George Barrow on baritone, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on double bass and Roy Haynes on drums.

Another favorite tune is “Cascades” which is a great up-tempo piece, with very nice arrangements in the opening theme, and it features a sweet solo by Bill Evans. The whole album is very enjoyable and Nelsons compositional skills are impressive. It’s a nice mix of tunes. I dig Oliver Nelson a lot and I’ve added a couple of more titles with him as a leader to the collection during the last year, both on New Jazz.

I’ve been after this title for quite a while. I purchased a copy a couple of years ago but it had a skip, so back it went. Have been keeping an eye out for a long time. It seems that it’s not easy to get your hands on a copy. Not many nice original copies surfaces. My copy is in beautiful condition, both the vinyl and the jacket, so I’m a happy boy. It definitely is a title to have from the Impulse! catalogue. If you don’t have it yet, do yourself a favor and try and find a copy, any copy or pressing. This music is worth having for sure.

Some questions: Your take on this particular album? Other favorite Oliver Nelson albums? Also, we’re at the halfway point of the calendar year. Up to this point, what are some of your favorite acquisitions?

I’ve had some very good few months lately, where I’ve been able to add some new stuff to the collection. A lot of Blue Notes and this Nelson LP. Excited to share them here on the site with you guys, together with all the other titles I haven’t posted yet. So, stay tuned for more vintage jazz vinyl coming up.

Until next time, stay cool in the heat… cheers!

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"Impressions" by John Coltrane on Impulse! A-42

April 1, 2021

Any Coltrane LP on Impulse! will offer the listener some very special jazz. These are classic albums. I’m aiming to collect quite a few more. This one is “Impressions”, and it features both live takes and studio recordings spanning about one and a half years. Outside of the the classic Coltrane quartet, three other cats are featured. On the first tune “India”, Eric Dolphy plays the bass clarinet, which is always a good thing. Reggie Workman also make an appearance on the first tune. On the final tune Roy Haynes plays the drums. All the tunes are great but if I had to choose a favorite it would probably be the ferocious title track. It’s a brilliant display of improvisational prowess. Of course, “India” is very engaging as well. I love Coltrane’s playing on this and Eric Dolphy really brings the music to an even higher plane. The sound on the live takes feels quite natural. It feels like you sit there in the club with the band in front of you. It’s not perfect by any means. It just feels honest.

Like I said, this is a classic and I’m very happy to have been able to find it. These original first pressing Impulse! titles are not entirely easy to find. But, they are at least a bit cheaper than many original Blue Notes and Prestige titles for example. I guess they have risen in value quite a bit in recent years though. This particular copy was not cheap. I feel Impulse! is just as important as Blue Note, Prestige or Riverside. The label promoted new exciting paths for jazz, going into the future.

Questions for my readers: If we’re talking important record labels that helped shape modern jazz, do you have a favorite? Of all the recorded live material featuring Coltrane as a leader, which albums or tunes stand out to you the most?

Feels like spring is here in Stockholm and I’m happy to spend some relaxing days now together with my family over Easter. I hope you guys will have a nice Easter and keep safe. Stay tuned for more great titles from my shelves, cheers!

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McCoy Tyner live at Newport on Impulse! A-48

February 27, 2021

Wonderful live set by McCoy Tyner at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1963. The first track is “Newport Romp”, and what a romp it is. Up-tempo stuff here with a Clark Terry on fire. He is a guy I haven’t explored much at all. I will try and remedy that, cause he’s great. Plays with a lot of energy, soul, passion and fire, on this outing at least. Another guy I haven’t listen to much at all is Charlie Mariano on the alto sax. Very good player. He’s a cat I definitely will look into more. He’s on a couple of Mingus albums I have and I will listen to them again and concentrate a bit on him. I really like his playing. Very lyrical. His playing on the wonderful rendition of “My Funny Valentine” is absolutely beautiful. The two guys completing the rhythm section together with McCoy are also guys I haven’t heard much from. Namely, Bob Cranshaw on the bass and Mickey Roker on the drums. They both contribute with some really solid playing here.

I must say McCoy Tyner plays brilliantly on this album. He’s a hot favorite when it comes to pianists in jazz. He plays with so much lyricism, power, soul and passion. Technically brilliant, but it’s all feeling. I have a couple of titles of his work as a leader now, but there is so much more to discover when it comes to him. Looking forward to exploring even more in depth.

I think this LP captures the live feeling in a great way. You imagine being there seeing this live, and what a thrill it would have been. Having these cats improvising right in front of your eyes. That’s a sadness I have, not to be able to see many of my favorite jazz artists live. Those days are gone and chances to see them live never existed, being born in the mid 70’s. Imagine to have seen Coltrane, Dolphy, Mingus, Morgan, Bird, Evans etc. live, back in the day… what’s left for me is to watch old videos and listen to a live album like this Tyner session, to try and capture the feeling of what it would have been like, watching this first hand. Sure, you can see a really good band live nowadays as well, but it’s just not the same, is it?

Which brings me to my question for you guys: If you could choose one artist, alive or passed away that you haven’t seen live, who would it be? Got some other questions as well; do you have any tips on great LP’s with Charlie Mariano? Favorite McCoy Tyner LP?

All the snow and the cold is gone here in Stockholm, for now at least. Feels a little like spring is in the air when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and snowdrops are now visible on the ground. There’s hope…

Stay tuned for more vintage jazz vinyl from my shelves. Stay safe everyone… cheers!

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"Fire Music" by Archie Shepp on Impulse! A-86

November 11, 2020

I’ve only started to scratch the surface of Archie Shepps’ body of work. This is my only album of his to date. So, I have a lot to discover, which is very exciting. I’ve been close to acquiring his debut as a leader on Savoy together with Bill Dixon and also the “New Thing at Newport” and the “…Live in San Franscisco” albums on Impulse!. His debut on Savoy is great, and I should have pulled the trigger when I had the chance. But I’ll keep my eyes open for another copy.

“Hambone” kicks off this fiery album. There’s plenty of interesting changes, choice of notes and I get an overall feeling of excitement when I listen to this stuff. It’s like nothing else really. Nothing that I have in my collection anyway. It’s a flavor all of it’s own. The sound of this vintage 1st pressing on Impulse! is superb. Like all of my other Impulse! albums it has a very revealing, organic and detailed sound.

I’ve been drawn to the more experimental or freer kind of jazz for quite a while. But I’m digesting things slowly. Coltrane’s later period on Atlantic and Impulse!. Enjoying the work of Mingus and Eric Dolphy. Also some of the Ornette Coleman output on Atlantic. Time to check out some more Archie Shepp albums for sure.

I think this Shepp record is quite beautiful and accessible. If you haven’t listened to it before I can highly recommend it. If you’re interested in something other than your regular hard bop session. Something with a lot of fire and passion. There’s even some poetry in there so look out. Favorite tune is “Prelude to a Kiss”. It’s beautifully haunting. Another favorite is a very nice rendition of “The Girl from Ipanema”.

Questions for my readers: I’m hoping that you guys can give me some tips on some great Archie Shepp albums. Could you give me your top 5? What’s your take on this particular album on display?

I’ve been able to purchase a variety of great albums lately. Several that have been very high on my want list. Very happy to have been able to add them to the collection. Excited to post them here on the site soon. Stay tuned for those coming up.

Stay safe and have a great rest of the week. Cheers!

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The John Coltrane Quartet Plays on Impulse! A-85

April 4, 2020

A great Coltrane album which I highly recommend.

This is one of Coltrane’s best in my opinion. It opens quite evocative with the wonderful theme of “Chim Chim Cheree” swaying and enchanting me while Coltrane gets more and more into his magical sphere of improvising. McCoy Tyner brings it down with thoughtful and mesmerizing waves of brilliant notes, light and feathery, as well as powerful chords on the keys. Then Coltrane brings it up again into the clouds and beyond to the beat of Elvin Jones’s relentless yet dynamic battery as well as Garrison’s steady double bass. Back to the theme and they bring it home, soothing it down… just brilliant.

“Brazilia”, the wonderful name of the tune peaks the interest. What kind of genius playing is cooked up in here you wonder. Is it samba-infused? Nah, hardly. When Elvin’s great drum roll snare and Coltrane’s improvisation over that comes to a conclusion and then when the entire band sets in, that’s pure magic. And the rest of the tune just flows ahead and you’ll get lost in the music in a wonderful way. What a sound as well from this vintage Impulse! 1st pressing.

Another special highlight of this album is Jimmy Garrison’s bass solo in the beginning of the last tune. For me, absolutely fantastic. Favorite tune…? Hm, it’s very difficult to choose just one on this one. But I’m leaning towards “Brazilia”. This album is highly recommended to all lovers of Coltrane and progressive 60’s jazz in general.

I have picked up some great Coltrane stuff the last months and I can’t get enough. Always looking for my next Coltrane album. There are many records still to hunt down. But the few ones I have managed to get hold of I’m very happy with. Very proud to have any Coltrane 1st pressing from the era in the collection.

Question for my readers: If you would have to choose 5 Coltrane albums as your personal picks from his catalogue, which ones would it be? Please share guys.

The good thing about Coltrane and the magic of his music, is that you forget everything else around you, cause it drags you in and demands your full attention. Which in these pandemic times, is a very good thing indeed.

Enjoy listening to your collection folks and stay tuned for more great albums coming up soon. I’ll try to put up albums a little more often maybe than I’ve been doing. We’ll see. Anyway… cheers!

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"A Love Supreme" by John Coltrane on Impulse! A-77

January 12, 2020

Kicking off 2020 in style with a true classic. It’s extremely difficult to find a 1st pressing of this with the non-suffix catalogue number on the labels. Let alone a white label promo copy. So I’m over the moon to have secured one. John Coltrane have become a massive figure for me the last couple of years. He has always been a favorite but now that I’ve dug deeper into his later catalogue he’s become even more important to me. I love his later work on the Impulse! label. I’ve also started to explore his Atlantic catalogue more in depth. I have “Giant Steps“ since way back in the collection and I’ve listened to “My Favorite Things” but there’s more to enjoy. Just bought another LP of his on Atlantic. It’s due in Stockholm on Monday. Looking forward to receiving that one and hopefully it will make the grade upon listening to the condition of it, so I can post it here on the site later.

This album is of paramount importance to most jazz fans and I couldn’t agree more. It’s his masterpiece. It’s so searching and spiritual in nature. Beautiful music that really stands out from the crowd. It makes you happy to listen to and for me, it makes me stronger tackling everyday life when I hear it. I just wish I had been able to see this classic quartet live back in the day. That sure would have been a spiritual awakening I could imagine.

I can’t pick a favorite tune on this album because I consider it as one piece. One statement, one expression of how wonderful jazz is. I would think that my readers have a long history together with this album, and I would very much like to hear what this album means to you?

I’ve been focusing on getting more albums that I love into the collection from the Impulse! and Atlantic labels for example. There are plenty of really great albums on those labels that are much cheaper than buying 1st pressing Blue Notes, Prestige, Riverside etc. I’d like to build up a larger collection faster so there’s more to choose from. Cause buying 4-5 extremely expensive albums a year is not going to do the trick. It’s rewarding as hell to be able to secure that stuff but I’ve been doing it that way for a long time and I have a lot of top collectibles, but just for a while I’d like to buy more albums during a year. 1st pressings only in great condition of course. But it’s hard not to be tempted and buy a beautiful Blue Note for example. Maybe I could mix it up a bit and try and get my hands on a couple of more expensive albums and spend the rest on the cheaper titles. Also, this has come naturally for me, focusing on these Impulse! and Atlantic albums, because they feature artists that I’ve been interested in exploring and hearing more from, like Coltrane and his sidemen, Ornette Coleman and Charles Mingus.

I hope 2020 will bring a lot of nice albums onto my shelves that I can enjoy and share with you guys. I’d like to thank everyone who is commenting and visiting the site and I hope we will continue to have some great exchanges here during this year and beyond. A belated happy new year to everyone. Stay tuned… cheers!

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"Meditations" by John Coltrane on Impulse! A-9110

October 20, 2019

It’s chaotic and intense but also mixed with beautiful and serene passages. It’s interesting and thought provoking. I can actually meditate to this stuff. You get the classical quartet together with Pharoah Sanders and Rashied Ali who both would continue to work with Coltrane after this album, which is the last recording to feature McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones playing together with Coltrane and Jimmy Garrison. I love this album. I’ve come to a point now where I truly appreciate a lot of the avant-garde and post-bop. Not everything, but Coltranes stuff on Impulse! and the work of Ornette Coleman for example. A little bit of Albert Ayler and some other stuff as well. It really complements the traditional bebop, hard bop and cool jazz which I’ve been listening to for a long time almost exclusively. It’s so dramatically different and it is very welcome sounds to mix it up. To get a broader and more complete experience when it comes to the world of jazz.

I very much like how the whirlwind “The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost” slides into the more calm “Compassion” which features a great McCoy Tyner solo. The second side starts off with “Love” which begins with a great, calm and collected bass solo by Jimmy Garrison. I think he is a wonderful bassist and I enjoy his style a lot. When Coltrane comes in it really hits the spot with some wonderful notes. And Elvin with some great sounding, organic drums. And then McCoy Tyner. They are building it up in a beautiful and relaxing way. After that it propels into the harsh but superb “Consequences” where the amazing saxophone sounds thrown at me makes my mind wander and actually find peace in all the chaos. Then comes a welcome, more relaxing piece called “Serenity” which concludes the album.

Highly recommended if you appreciated the avant-garde and are looking for something to really sink your teeth in and get a different perspective on jazz.

What’s your take on this album I wonder? Are you into the avant-garde? If you are or not, what is it that makes you appreciate it or not appreciate it? Favorite free-jazz albums?

I will go on a short vacation on Wednesday to Mexico, just me and my wife to get some sun and relax a bit. I’m really looking forward to that. It never happens, just me and her without the kids. So, I’m ready for some Caribbean winds…

Have a great week and stay tuned for more wonderful vintage albums from the collection coming up.

Cheers!

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"The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" by Mingus on Impulse! A-35

June 5, 2019

A fantastic album by a true genius. I have just started to explore the albums on which Mingus is the leader. This is my first album by him. Seems a pretty good way to start. I have sunk my teeth into 60’s post bop and free jazz quite a bit for the past 6 months or so. This isn’t hard bop. Far from it. I really dig the different sounds, layers and influences on this album. From what I’ve gathered it is partially written as a ballet. The arrangements are inspiring and so well executed by all players. One of them is a fellow Swede, Rolf Ericson on trumpet, which is very cool. I have a lot of his output on several 7” Metronome EP’s and I love him. The album has elements of classical and even a little touch of flamenco or mariachi music and It’s so powerful. A big, bold sound. The vinyl sounds superb just like all the other Impulse! albums that I’ve heard so far.

The music stays highly interesting and engaging in all kinds of ways all the way through. This is a masterpiece and I’m looking forward to exploring more of the Mingus catalogue. I’m taking it slowly and I like it that way. To really discover a few artists at the time. Right now it’s a lot of Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk and also Mingus. I’m taking my time. Enjoying a few albums at the time and let them sink in. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many great records still to listen to. Some of the great geniuses takes a lot of time to fully grasp and the journey will be interesting and hopefully very fulfilling.

I’m enjoying exploring the period after the 50’s and early 60’s hard bop and getting into a lot of the Impulse! output and later Blue Note stuff. Like I’ve said, I’m exploring free jazz as well. I like it. Coltrane’s late period for example. Some Albert Ayler as well. It’s an exciting time!

Questions for my readers: What’s your take on Mingus and this album in particular? Do you have a favorite album by him that you can recommend?

Summer’s here in Stockholm for real and vacation time is not far away now. I’m aiming to add one or two records to the collection in the next month or so. I have some more as well in the collection that I haven’t posted yet, so stay tuned… Cheers!

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McCoy Tyner Trio "Reaching Fourth" on Impulse! A-33

February 24, 2019

A very satisfying jazz piano trio album.

This is one of my favorite albums. It’s very high quality piano trio jazz. And it features one of my favorite double bassists in Henry Grimes. Also, it’s one of my very best sounding albums. It sounds absolutely amazing.

As far as piano trios goes I hold the classic Bill Evans trio the highest, but then this trio is staking it’s claim on second place. I hold the Tommy Flanagan effort ”Overseas” on Prestige very high as well. There’s a lot of other very good piano trio albums that I haven’t completely absorbed yet. But so far the album on display here is, for me, one of the best I’ve heard.

All the tunes are very enjoyable. It’s a very nice mix of tunes. The personnel is fabulous. McCoy Tyner is so lyrical in his playing, and plays with such ease and feeling. Roy Haynes on drums is wonderful and he has such a nice drum sound here. He plays very delicate and I love his style. The cymbals sounds like heavenly chimes. The snare work is exceptionally good as well. And then we have the double bass. Henry Grimes… can’t find the words really. He’s one of my top three jazz bassists. When I got into jazz for real it started when I saw an old black and white concert of Sonny Rollins playing in Sweden on Swedish television together with Joe Harris and Henry Grimes. Sonny was up for the Polar Music Prize that year, that’s why they showed this concert. The young, modest bassist caught my attention. He was just so cool but at the same time looking very sweet. Total control on his instrument. He just made it look so easy standing there playing this big old double bass. I’ve loved him from that moment on. I also saw him on a YouTube clip later, with him playing with Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer and Dave Bailey. To be honest, I haven’t explored all of his work as of yet (far from it), but the stuff I’ve heard him play, especially on ”Reaching Fourth”, and the whole back history he has when he was lost and found together with my first encounter with him playing with Sonny Rollins just makes him special to me. Love his style and sound.

If you dig piano trios, then this is definitely one to pick up. And a 1st pressing doesn’t cost an absolute fortune. That’s one of the great benefits of the Impulse! label.

Have a great week folks. Stay tuned. Cheers…!

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Elvin Jones/Jimmy Garrison Sextet - Illumination! on Impulse! A-49

December 2, 2018

I’ve started to explore the Impulse! label for real. I’ve bought a couple of titles. There’s a lot of wonderful albums to discover, as well as musicians you haven’t heard before. The type of jazz released on this label comes with great variety, which makes it interesting and you’ll discover new or/and different flavors with each release. I’m intrigued with what I’ve heard thus far and I will continue to explore the label with great excitement. I will of course seek out all the Coltrane albums but there is so much more to sink your teeth in.

I’ve fallen in love with the rhythm section of Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison. Elvin Jones is just phenomenal. I love his style, touch and sound. So the LP on display here is right up my alley. It’s a very diverse album with a nice blend of tunes. The personnel are Elvin Jones on drums, Jimmy Garrison on double bass, McCoy Tyner on piano, Sonny Simmons on alto sax and English horn, Charles Davis on baritone sax and Prince Lasha on clarinet and flute. Three of the cats I haven’t heard before, and it is interesting to soak in their different styles, especially when they deliver some stuff on instruments I do not often listen to; like the english horn, clarinet and flute. They all sound great. Highly recommended.

I love the packaging of these old Impulse! releases. The beautiful, heavy gatefold covers with the images and liner notes inside are oustanding. The iconic orange and black labels. I have a white label promo copy of this LP and those labels are very cool as well. The sound of the vinyl is brilliant. One of the best sounding records I’ve heard. It sounds so organic and powerful. Couldn’t ask for more. I would urge anyone who hasn’t delved into the Impulse! catalogue yet to do so. I think you will find many great and interesting titles. And if you’re looking for 1st pressings they won’t cost you a bloody fortune. Much more reasonable prices.

How about you guys, what’s your take on the Impulse! label and do you have some favorite titles you’d like to share?

Vacation time will soon be here and I look forward to that immensely. To get some warm sun on my face cause here in Stockholm the sun has forsaken us. I hope you will have a nice Sunday and enjoy some jazz. Stay tuned for more great albums from the collection. Cheers!

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