A Love Supreme, John Coltrane

It's Black Music Month!

A Love Supreme, John Coltrane, 1965, :32

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

It really doesn't get any better than this.  I love the insistent drumming that begins the third track, "Pursuance."  From the cymbal wash at the start to the front and center talking tenor sax that dominates part four, this is just a complete, perfect jazz experience.  Favorite tracks: well, it's a through-composed suite so it's really all one piece of music, but if I were making a Coltrane sampler and had to break it up, I'd be sure to include fully half of this album, "Part III: Pursuance" and "Part IV: Psalm."

My Favorite Things, John Coltrane

My Favorite Things, John Coltrane, 1961, :40

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The title track is the classic "Sound of Music" Rogers and Hammerstein song, turned to a 13-minute saxophone and piano instrumental heavily influenced by Eastern music.  Since I don't know anything about chords or musical modes or times, I can't really talk about this music except to say that I enjoy it.  Favorite tracks: well, there's only four songs on the album (with two single edits of the title track added to the "deluxe" version of the album), but the title track is a five-star classic, and Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye" is also great.