John Coltrane’s latest release, Blue World, is like a door that allows any listener to step back in time and into the studio with the master at height of his prowess.
Recorded between his 1964 masterpieces Crescent and A Love Supreme, the saxophonist’s Classic Quartet gathered at Rudy Van Gelder’s famed studio for a forgotten film soundtrack that no one would hear for another 55 years.
With the in-studio conversations added to some of the tracks, this album of unheard sessions is an immersive experience. The sparse but rich track list includes the songs “Blue World,” “Like Sonny,” “Traneing In,” and multiple takes of “Naima” and “Village Blues.” In every take, Coltrane lives up to being the man with sheets of sound in his improvisation.
Coltrane’s harmonic language and original compositions, mixed with the misty atmosphere set by the rhythm section, are bound to have any listener putting the album on repeat. Just listen to the tasteful interplay between the soloist and the rhythm section, and you can hear how each member of the group is artistically in sync with the rest.
Blue World is an amazing grab for jazz heads, Coltrane fans and anyone interested in giving jazz a listen for the first time.
Score: 🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷 / 5
