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#1256932 in eBooks 2009-10-13 2009-10-13File Name: B000W9175Q
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A Love Supreme! A Love Supreme!By Kevin Currie-KnightThere are VERY few jazz albums which have achieved the status and attention of John Coltranes A Love Supreme. And listening to it decades after it was first released (I first heard it in 1996); we forget how revolutionary that album was: a jazz suite; religious in nature; less centered on chord changes than meditating over modal accompaniment.In A Love Supreme; journalist Ashley Kahn attempts to tell the story of the making of A Love Supreme. Of course; with it; we also get a good account of who John Coltrane was; his rise into the Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" sextet; drug addiction and self-imposed rehabilitation; the civil rights and black power movements of the 1960s; and the evolution of jazz music. All of these are told in crisp journalistic prose supplemented by interview excerpts from those close to the press-shy Coltrane: Elvin Jones; Kenny Burrell; Rudy van Gelder; even Alice Coltrane.I will never listen to A Love Supreme in the same way again. Yes; I always knew - it is just obvious in the suites movements - that ALS is infused with meaning and significance. But now; I feel like I know a little more about what Coltrane had in mind for the suite. Interestingly; at the time this book was written; the audio for the mysterious second days session (with two saxophones and two bass players) had not been released to the public; so Kahn puts the pieces together about what transpired on that second day as a detective putting together the facts of a case. Of course; now; that second days material has been released and is available for listen on an 2 CD set of A Love Supreme put out by Impulse!. Of course; this just adds to the book because now; we can hear what Kahn describes.Anyhow; this is a very well done book about one of the most evocative jazz albums of all time. Strongly recommended for both jazz novices and true fans.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. An Excellent; Informative ReadBy Ajo WayYou KNOW the music. Now learn about the events in the life of John Coltrane that lead up to the pinnacle; the mountaintop of his career.First of all; let me explain that I have a substantial library on jazz music - mostly about Miles and Trane. I found this book to be very insightful; regardless of what anyone else has written in their review. I dont want to be disrespectful of those reviews but I fail to see how some arrived at a mediocre or low opinion of this book. Not at all! In fact; Ive learned so much and enjoyed this book so much that Im definitely going to purchase Kahns Making of Kind of Blue and Impulse the House That Trane Built. Personally; I cant wait to read em!Kahn provides first hand accounts of both the December 9 10 sessions at Rudy Van Gelders studio from Archie Shepp; Art Davis; McCoy Tyner; Elvin Jones; Bob Theil; and of course Rudy himself.The book tells us what made recording at Rudys so special; he describes the studio and even gives a high-level look at Van Gelders methodology (the details are Rudys closely guarded secret).There is a title by title analysis of the suite in laymans terms but he Ravi Coltrane DO give the listener some sign-posts to listen for each time you listen to the suite. I know that as a semi-professional jazz musician; Ive learned new things about this music that I can actually apply to my own playing.The description of how Impulse started; how they packaged and produced the recordings and took them to market was fascinating (to me anyway). I learned some things that Id always wondered about. There is some discussion on Billboard and how the news about this fantastic work of art quickly spread round the USA.There is a chapter toward the end "The Unbroken Arc of A Love Supreme" where I felt like Kahn was flirting with becoming trite and a little over-the-top but thankfully; he didnt quite go there... but it was close. That is my only criticism of this book. He just goes a little over-board with the reverence for this music; i.e.; he sort of hits the reader over the head again and again with it. Ok; I get it. This is a special recording. Of course; we already KNOW that otherwise we wouldnt be reading a book devoted to a specific recording. Duh? Its not an annoyance but some reader may begin rolling their eyes; lets put it that way.This book is perfect for the non-musician and a great read for musicians. The only downside (if you can call it that) for musicians is that there really isnt a detailed analysis of the music - no transcripts. If you are a musician you will want to purchase Lewis Porters John Coltrane: His Life and Music. That book will give you transcripts galore. In fact; Porter is cited often in this book this book is cited often in the Porter book. I enthusiastically recommend both books and of course; the deluxe edition of A Love Supreme. Buy them all; I guarantee whether you are a musician or just a jazz lover; you are going to learn something.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Probably the best....By J. P. RogersEasily the best biography of Coltrane. Although its primary focus is the seminal album; it gives an excellent review of Coltranes entire life leading up to the classic. It gives abundant and perhaps unparalleled quotes from Coltrane and the members of his Classic Quartet. Highly recommended.