John Coltrane Infinity

    

     I bought this album at the local record shop for $7.99 thinking it would be some great late period John Coltrane album. Little did I know, because I didn't check, the music was supervised and inspired by Alice Coltrane. This isn't bad but this is kind of not really a full Coltrane album. First of all this is a remix album, featuring overdubs with strings of Coltrane's pieces recorded in 1965 and 1966. This album was released on Impulse! Records in 1972. Her controversial "re-imagining" of her husband's late works was criticized by both fans and critics, as she took his original performances and superimposed them over lush orchestral backgrounds and re-dubbed rhythm section parts, as well as recording new solos on piano, organ, harp and timpani.(Wiki)
     The most Coltrane-like thing other than the saxophone playing is a short piece Coltrane wrote: To perceive again and this time it must be said, for all who read to know that no matter what, it is all with God. He is gracious and merciful. His way is in Love, through which we all are. Wherever and whoever you are, always strive to follow and walk in the right Path and ask for aid and assistance.....herein lies the ultimate and eternal happiness in which is ours through His grace. I could say that I disliked this album but really the only thing I don't like about it is the fact that there are goddamn strings and harps all over the place. A string section is not jazz! I don't like it. Even Charlie Parker with strings to me is really lame jazz. Also, the fact that Alice Coltrane, (John's wife who performed with him on piano during his last years) overdubbed strings and added piano solos and harps doesn't bother me. Frank Zappa would later do this, often mixing live concert performance with studio performances. In addition, Miles Davis would make a career out of just looping music and overdubbing solos and stuff, during his fusion period, which was just coming up because this album was released in 1966.
     The names of the tunes are really John Coltrane. The tunes are as listed: 'Peace on Earth', 'Living Space', 'Joy', and 'Leo'. These were all Coltrane cuts that he performed late in his career and are featured on other albums as just plain Coltrane tunes. It should also be known that this period so close to Coltrane's death was his free-jazz period, where he reached beyond the harmonic restraints of blues, bebop, and the straight-ahead music of his time. It should also be known that tracks 2 and 3 were recorded by the original Coltrane Quartet (Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison), while tracks 1 and 4 were recorded by Coltrane's later ensemble (Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Rashied Ali, Pharoah Sanders). I would say that the classic Quartet plays the music in a more straightforward bebop straight-ahead direction, but Coltrane was still pushing the envelop with his iconic and distinctive 'sheets of sound'. In addition, the classic Quartet is more of an equal unit where everyone gets a say, especially in terms of solos. You can always tell on which song is the classic Quartet and which is the later period with Alice Coltrane simply because of the piano playing. Alice Coltrane plays with a lighter touch and plays with more simpler harmonic vocabulary than McCoy Tyner. Also, her right hand doesn't hit the keys as hard! The best thing about this album are the classic Quartet cuts in my opinion.
     What else can I say of the music? Well, because there's a string section there seems to always have and opening and closing theme, played by the string section. And then there's Coltrane's saxophone playing, which is just phenomenal. The last track, 'Leo' has Pharaoh Sanders on tenor sax and flute. This one was a Coltrane favorite that he played on a lot of other albums. It's as wild and crazy as free-jazz gets without yelling and screaming into the microphone. This tune is a great one because it sounds fresh and exciting, almost as if it could have come out today. Even Alice Coltrane's piano playing comes across great here, managing to bridge the gap between harmonic and free playing.
     Lastly, I can't help but say I was a bit disappointed in the album because I thought it was a late period Coltrane album. But I gotta say that the actual music ain't bad. I hate the strings and the harps and stuff, but Alice Coltrane did what she thought was a great homage to her late husband. Some would say this is a disgrace and that it sucks, but I think it's actually quite good. Not quite Coltrane. But not bad.