Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Jazz Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 27-JUN-1995

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: #16086 in Music
• Brand: COLTRANE,JOHN
• Released on: 1995-06-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

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

"They Say It's Wonderful"
I've been sitting here reading fellow Amazon reviewers take on "John Coltrane and Johhny Hartman" and I've noticed a trend that I find discomforting....if not exactly true as well. But I'll soon get to that. First, I think a little background is needed to fully understand where this cd is at, musically speaking of course.

When approached to do an "album" with a singer Cotrane's first, and I suspect only response, was Johnny Hartman. Hartman was close to being a complete unknown in a field where he so obviously excelled and Coltrane, while recording two albums of ballads previous to this record, "Ballads" and "Duke Ellington and John Coltrane" was still attempting to facillitate a style that reached the outer boundaries of the restrictive nature of popular song. That being the case they entered the studio and preceded to record a classic...in every sense of the word.

Now,unlike other reviewer's comments about Coltrane being subjected to the role of "sideman" to Johnny Hartman's vocals this, I feel, simply misses the point of what this cd is about. Coltrane's tenor, I feel, is actually the "second voice" on this fine disc. The interaction between voice and musical instrument will always be debated as how to best draw a "focal point" where each can draw inspiration from the other and I feel that this is as close as I've ever heard to having those two seperate entities actually realizing that one precise point where vocals and intrumentation blend together in perfect unison . A perfect blending of two "instruments". Obviously a listener's attention will always turn toward the vocal aspect of any piece of music due to it's simply being recorded at the front end of any song. And being Johnny Hartman how could you not pay close attention! But, if you truly listen to when Coltrane enters each song, a prime example being " Lush Life", than you may have an idea as to what I am saying. Coltrane's saxophone isn't so much accompanying Hartman as much as "singing" with him. I suspect this is the closest thing we may have to an actual "duet" regarding voice and musical accompiantment. While it's true that Coltrane did go back into the studio at a later date to overdub some phrases for "My One And Only Love', "Lush Life" and "You Are Too Beautiful" basicallly what you have here is recorded "live". Which only enhances the sheer "magic" of this disc!

And speaking of accompiantment isn't it time to give credit to McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. Without these fine musicians I suspec this cd would surely lose some of it's lustre! A truly first rate quartet that is second only to Mile's work on "Kinda Blue".

So, in the end, purchase your own copy of "Coltrane/Hartman" and hear what all the fuss is about. Whether you agree with my observations or not this cd is simply too good to pass up. Simple, beautiful and terribly romantic! Actually, forget all this superficial analyzing and enjoy the disc for what it is....Simply Wonderful!

So good you could just cry
It is truly difficult to write a review for this album without using superlatives (or expletives, for that matter). You are combining the great John Coltrane Quartet with a man whose voice was seemingly made to play duets with Coltrane. Johnny Hartman's smoky, dark baritone voice perfectly complements Coltrane's sound.

To add to this, McCoy Tyner provides a beautiful, airy piano accompaniment without being even remotely saccharine or cliched. Garrison and Jones are holding back quite a bit on this record, which seems to be the right move in this case.

Every track on this album is brilliant. However, "My One and Only Love" stands out above all of them. Coltrane's playing of the head is perfectly nuanced and delicate - he is considered a brilliant ballad player for a REASON. And when Hartman comes in with the vocals, my hair just stands on it.

This is an album of a level of beauty that smooth jazz wishes it could attain, but cannot possibly hope to reach. It is essential for anybody who loves music.

A unmitigated masterpiece
Simply put this has to be one of my favorite Cd's. Mere words can't express how well the combination of the John Coltrane Quartet sound and Johnny Hartman sounds. From 'They say it's wonderful' to 'Autumn serenade' all of the tracks are excellent to say the least. Johnny Hartman has one of the smoothest barritone singing voices I've ever heard. Listining to his voice on 'Lush life'(especially) gives me the chills. (I'd argue that their cover of that song is the best ever). This paired up with the already legendary sound of the John coltrane quartet makes this album not a must have but an essential for any coltrane fan. If you are even thinkg about buying this CD you've given it too much thought, BUY IT NOW! You wont regret it.