Track Listing

1. They Say It's Wonderful
2. Dedicated To You
3. My One And Only Love
4. Lush Life
5. You Are Too Beautiful
6. Autumn Serenade

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5681 in Music
• Released on: 1995-06-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.com
This is one of the three all-ballad albums that John Coltrane recorded in late 1962 and early 1963. Johnny Hartman was apparently Coltrane's suggestion, and his deep, dark voice meshes perfectly here with Coltrane's tenor. The material is well-chosen, including definitive readings of "My One and Only Love" and "Lush Life." McCoy Tyner fills out the chords, augmenting the harmonies and keeping the tone of these ballads respectful but not overly sentimental. All the players get to the deep structure of the songs and are not afraid to play in the most essential and elegant manner. This is beautiful jazz. --Michael Monhart

Customer Reviews

It does not get much better than this . . .
Recognized for years as a Jazz Classic, an Essential Recording . . . there is very little regarding this special recording that can be added that has not already been written. The qualities of these two great artists came together on this very special recording. It is simply that good. The technology through the years has improved and fortunately the remastering of this classic has been done well enough to give much deserved honor to the original vinyl rendering.

Hartman voice sounds as if he were in your room, while John Coltrane simplifies his music to support the "other instrument", the vocal (his only recording to do so). It takes genius and great self esteem to keep it within the boundaries of the entire ensemble; Coltrane did just this on this recording to his credit / genius.

This recording is a "must have" for any serious music fan. I have recommended it to a number of people and have never been told they were ever disappointed.

A wonderful start (or finish) to any evening.

good lord, this is a unbelievably special album...
A musical feast - can only realize how truly magnificent this collection is when you hear the whole thing - "Lush Life" one of the most beautifle things I've ever heard - Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane should be required listening for every human being.

always a pleasure
I see there are 11 people who need to see a neurosurgeon. Why else would they not give it 5 stars? How good do you have to get before you merit 5 stars? Okay, maybe I'm wrong about that. But, this is one of a handful of albums that seems perfect in every sense of the word. The songs are subjectively very pretty--they weren't trying to break new ground with dicey material. The side men are top notch musicians (which can't be said of most albums--there are usually weak links in the chain). All these cats know how to accompany a voice, which they do in an almost Schubert-esque manner. They knew how and when to get out of Hartman's way, which is lost on most musicians who seem to be on some kind of hell-bent-for-leather ego trip to take the spotlight. The sound is spectacular too. Check out the German audiophile vinyl release. It's so good it leaves me speechless. I approach this album like a prime cut of meat, or a fine wine, or a loved one: it is very special and deserves your total attention.