John Coltrane's Africa/Brass: Still Amazing

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John Coltrane’s Africa/Brass: Still Amazing | Rhythm Planet 11.09.14 09:18

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Rhythm Planet is a blog written by Tom Schnabel to bring readers the wealth of stories and thoughts that abound in his years of experience.

John Coltrane’s Africa/Brass from 1961

Earlier this year, I got a copy of the Speakers Corner LP reissue of Coltrane’s incandescent 1961 classic, Africa/Brass. The other night I listened to it after listening to some straight- ahead, more mainstream jazz. I was amazed, even though I’ve heard this album many, many Top 10 Posts times. It was recorded by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder, produced by Bob Thiele, and the David Byrne & Barry White: What Cars They Speakers Corner vinyl reissue sourced it from the original master tapes. Knowing the Drove recording is sourced from the original tapes isn’t always a given when you buy vinyl these 286 views days as it’s typically “Caveat Emptor” (“Buyer Beware”). Anne Sexton’s Original Poem “45 Mercy Street”: The Genesis of Peter Gabriel’s “Mercy Street” It is such bold, fearless, and visionary music. It was recorded in 1961, during a period where 273 views many African countries were becoming independent, and African music and art were The real meaning of Nina Simone’s Classic becoming better known in America, though not as well known in European colonial powers Song, “Sealine Woman” 216 views like France, Belgium, or England. Show #69: Featured Artists—Mélanie De Biasio & Hollie Cook 186 views Show #67: Noteworthy New Releases 149 views How Chet Baker Really Died 143 views Dick Dale’s Surf Anthem Is Remake Of Traditional Greek Song 141 views The Triangle: Easy to Play or Muito Complicado? 116 views Show #70: Overlooked Unusual Songs, Part 2 116 views Operated by Am-Par Record Corp., ABC-Paramount was a subsidiary of The “Wired for Sound – Mozambique” Project 114 views the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).

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Eric Dolphy wrote the arrangements for the big band based on McCoy Tyner’s chords. This Categories was Impulse A-6, an early release on the ABC-Paramount adventurous jazz label. It would African (15) never be a hit record like Brubeck’s Time Out or Davis’ Kind of Blue. It delved into unfamiliar Art, Literature & Film (11) musical territory, was powerful and not an easy listen. Artist Spotlight (316) Downbeat magazine reviewer, Martin Williams, gave it a tepid review. He gave it only two Asia (6) stars in a January 18, 1962, out of a possible five. Here’s a sample from that review: Audiophiles (8) Cape Verde (6) “I question…whether here this exposition of skills adds up to anything more than a dazzling Classical (7) and passionate array of scales and arpeggios. If one looks for melodic development or even Featured (226) for some sort of technical order or logic, he may find none here.” French (1) Headline (71) While Africa/Brass may not have sold well or met the expectations of ABC-Paramount brass Holiday (3) (Thiele produced all of Coltrane’s Impulse albums), that was to change with Coltrane’s later Ballads album, and even more so with the John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman album, both of Jazz (22) which became big sellers for Impulse and remain popular classics. Latin (10) MBE Archive (13) Fifty years later, history has proved him wrong. The album is a legendary classic, as Middle East (1) innovative and as challenging as it was when it was released so many years ago. Music History (118) New Releases (57) Here you can listen to “Greensleeves” from this album that’s still amazing after all these Performances & Events (16) years. Recollections & Rediscoveries (102) Safari-Energiesparmodus Rhythm Planet Music Show (70) Hier klicken, um das Flash-Plug-In zu starten RIP (25) Uncategorized (77)