A Love Supreme, today on R4

There's a 40th anniversary doc about the record on R4 this lunchtime at 1.30pm. Give it a go, even if you think you hate jazz, for this is great music...

 

Yippee. I'll listen "live" over the web, but could someone, anyone, please record this for me. Pretty please!

 

I'll be recording it, fear not...

It's only half an hour, sadly.

-- Ian

 

Top stuff, ta Ian (and thanks Ron for the HU)

 

I listened to the program. Interesting, but you got to hear very little of the actual music other than what was playing in the background all the time (I assume that was from the album).

Has tempted me to go and look for a copy (silver beer mat version of course).

Michael.

 

No new information and far too short, but nice to hear nevertheless. It's in the can, Joel, so I'll stick a copy in the post to you along with the Circle records (which are yet to arrive).

Michael, luckily for you Impulse released a remastered "deluxe" edition of ALS last year which is possibly the only jazz CD I own that is better on CD than vinyl, because it's taken from a different, and improved, master than most of the earlier vinyl pressings.

-- Ian

 

You've got the wrong pressing. Nyah, nyah. Seriously, many thinks for that as I was only able to listen in patches.
THe 2-CD remaster is the one to get if you can't/don't get good vinyl.

 

I enjoyed the final ten minutes most, listening the thoughts and experiences of the common fan. What always comes through for me is the sheer physicality of it. It's the noise of men involved in intense manual labour, fashioning something immense and solid out of thin air. I'm going to have stick on the heaphones tonight and lose myself in it.

I've got the Impulse remaster from the mid 90s, but have been eyeing up the more recent 2-CD remaster, plus what looks to be a decent vinyl version that I believe dates from 1994. Which of these is the better?

 

Cheers Ian - just ordered the "deluxe" version from Amazon.co.uk

Michael.

 

The 1994 pressing (German, I think) is pretty good, I have a copy, but it's from the less-good master. I have a reasonably early Impulse pressing that I prefer, although it has a fair bit of surface wear and is one of the noiser bits of secondhand vinyl I own.

If it's one or t'other, get the deluxe CD version, which also has lots of useful sleeve info, the only additional takes in existence, and the only live performance. But any sensible person would buy the CD version and a 60s or early 70s vinyl copy (although, not surprising, these are not too cheap).

-- Ian

 

You realise that's ten posts in this thread without anyone mentioning the artist in question! I had to click on Michae's Amazon link to see who you were on about . I thought I'd have a listen to that R4 programme to find out more, but can't find it. What was the programme called?

 

You'll find it here, down the bottom under L. Love Supreme, A.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml

As for the artist, it goes without saying!

 

Cheers Ron. I've just had a listen; seems a few people think this is a rather good album then? .

 

TBH I prefer Blue Train, the ALS deluxe one, is that the one with the plastic sleeve ?

 

That's the one.

You prefer Blue Train? Go and stand in the corner.

-- Ian

 

Blue Train is the only Coltrane album I've got. ALS will be the 2nd when it arrives

Michael.

 

Much as it pains me to say it, since Coltrane bestrides the world of music like a colossus, trampling on pygmy journeymen as he goes, Blue Train is, IMO, overrated. It's revered by some because it was his only session for Blue Note, but it's a patchy record. When he signed for Impulse and found his mature style the world starts to become a much more interesting place, and the sublime is born.

That's what I reckon anyway.

-- Ian

 

What you and Ron need (other than the obvious original pressing) is a nice Japanese pressing from the late 60s. I happen to have a couple of Tosh-EMIs spare that I'll stick in the next pile. Not quite as good as Tony L's King pressing IMHO (which is pretty incredible), but very good.
The 2-fer CD deluxe version from late 93 is the CD version to have, and it is also very well done.
My favourite JC albums are ALS and the Africa Brass Sessions. I also really like Kulu se Mama, which is the point where JC passed through to "the other other side". A fairly difficult album, but one of extraordinary beauty, too.

 

I've got a mid-80's pressing that is very good. Gatefold sleeve on Impulse with an MCA label, I think. It was the first Coltrane record I bought and probably IMO the best, although I too like Africa/Brass.

For anyone who wants an easy introduction to the great man's music I can't recommend "Duke Ellington and John Coltrane" highly enough. You can normally pick it up quite cheap on CD. It has some lovely tunes on it and sounds beautiful.

Paul