Africa / Brass

The brass section adds a nice touch to the quartet especially on Greensleeves. If you are a first time buyer of Coltrane don't start here, you may want to to start with his My favorite Things Album.

This is the one - All 5 songs on 1 CD - Africa, Greensleeves, Blues Minor, Song of the Underground Railroad, and The Damned Don't Cry all on 1 CD - The only omission from the Complete 2 CD set is the first of 3 takes of Africa. The Damned Don't Cry does not appear on Africa Brass Vols 1 and 2. One alternate apiece of Africa and Greensleeves are given here on the 2nd half of the CD and it concludes with The Damned Don't Cry.In contrast to the other selections The Damned Don't Cry features the high pitched trumpets of Freddie Hubbard and Booker Little in ensemble rather the trombone, tuba ensemble passages of the other tracks. Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano at various points on this 71/2 minute track.Neither Hubbard, Little or Eric Dolphy, who orchestrated and conducted all songs except the Damned Don't Cry, have any solo space. Coltrane and McCoy Tyner are the only soloists and Trane always goes first.

Too bad Coltrane died so young, he was great, and this CD was something I did not hear before. Excellent!

A divine MASTERPIECE! ENOUGH SAID!

Coltrane is always a winner.

Like many rock & roll fans and musicologists I purchase this on vinyl eons ago as part of my exploration of the music of the Byrds. McGuinn and Crosby mentioned, and continue to mention, John Coltrane in so many interviews it was impossible to not become curious. Three would have been no modal McGuinn legendary 12-string Rickenbacker solo on Eight Miles High without Coltrane and once you walk through that door you discover this is a dude to rank up there with Miles Davies and Louis Armstrong. In short, he is an American icon, a foundation stone of American music, and...ahem...as a then-young clerk at Rhino Records in West Los Angeles I had no less than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tell me how the African-American hep youth of the late 1950s/1960s considered 'Trane to be a Hero in all respects, in all regards.One more thing: you can actually hear some of McGuinn's Eight Miles High guitar licks on this album. At least three of them are pretty much note-for-note, and yes, played on sax but they are perfectly audible and recognisable. This is the album where 'Trane was moving further than ever away from straight jazz and exploring what some felt was atonal African, primarily rhythmic musics bur whatever, decide for yourself. But this is right up there with A Love Supreme, no question.

Another great Coltrane 'must have' album...this time in a great large band setting.

Eric Dolphy joins John Coltrane for a big band extravaganza on this classic album from 1961, four years before the watershed  Ascension (Editions I-Ii) (Rm) .This CD is two complete albums, Africa / Brass and The Africa / Brass Sessions, Vol. 2, plus the track, The Damned Don't Cry. The only difference between this album and the 2-CD  Comp Africa Brass Sessions  is that the first take of three versions of Africa has been omitted.

Eric Dolphy joins John Coltrane for a big band extravaganza on this classic album from 1961, four years before the watershed  Ascension (Editions I-Ii) (Rm) .This CD is two complete albums, Africa / Brass and The Africa / Brass Sessions, Vol. 2, plus the track, The Damned Don't Cry. The only difference between this album and the 2-CD  Comp Africa Brass Sessions  is that the first take of three versions of Africa has been omitted. Ascension (Editions I-Ii) (Rm)Comp Africa Brass Sessions

It's John Coltrane, so I bought it. It's a fantastic album, but it would be. His version of 'Greensleeves' is fantastic.If you like Coltrane, buy it. It's his usual awesomeness.