Review by Thom Jurek
Live at the Village Vanguard Again! is one of the more hotly contested albums in John Coltrane's catalog. Released less than a year before his death, the original recording showcased his new quintet with Alice Coltrane, piano; Pharoah Sanders, tenor saxophone; Jimmy Garrison, bass; and Rashied Ali, drums. Additional percussion on the date was provided by Emanuel Rahim. The three selections here are what survive from a much longer tape. Coltrane's signature ballad "Naima" opens the album and goes on for over 15 minutes. One of the most iconic tunes in his repertoire, the treatment it is given here is radical. While the melody is referenced in the beginning, Coltrane moves it aside fairly quickly to concentrate on improvisation. His tenor solo (heard in the left channel) begins in earnest a minute-and-a-half in. He gradually deconstructs the various phrases in the lyric to blow passionately through them. By the time Sanders begins his (overly long) tenor solo (right channel), the abstraction becomes total. His intensity and ferocity are simply more than the ballad calls for. Even when Coltrane returns to solo again, and gradually winds it down, he has to begin at that hot peak. "Naima" is a different tune when all is said and done. "My Favorite Things" is in two parts. The first six minutes belong to a gorgeous, imaginative solo by Garrison. The tune's familiar theme is not stated by Coltrane until after the mode is introduced; then bits and pieces of the melody are brought in until they become -- however briefly -- the whole head line. It disappears quickly -- even though referenced occasionally throughout Coltrane's solos. His soprano solos are intense but utterly beautiful. His playing is pure passion and creative imagination, ever aware of the shimmering block chords played by Alice. Ali skitters propulsively around them, driving insistently until he's allowed to let loose when Sanders and his tenor begin their violent wail that simply disregards the entire tune save for one quote near the end to bring Coltrane back in. Sanders screams through his horn throughout his solo, and when Coltrane rejoins him, it's to meet him and try to rein him in; it leaves the listener exhausted after its 25-minute run. Live at the Village Vanguard Again! is certainly not for Coltrane newcomers, and may indeed only hold value for his most ardent followers despite its many qualities.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-village-vanguard-again%21-mw0000652602
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Reseña de Thom Jurek
¡Live At The Village Vanguard Again! es uno de los álbumes más disputados del catálogo de John Coltrane. Lanzado menos de un año antes de su muerte, la grabación original mostraba su nuevo quinteto con Alice Coltrane, piano; Pharoah Sanders, saxofón tenor; Jimmy Garrison, bajo; y Rashied Ali, batería. La percusión adicional en la fecha fue proporcionada por Emanuel Rahim. Las tres selecciones aquí son lo que sobrevive de una cinta mucho más larga. La balada característica de Coltrane, "Naima", abre el álbum y dura más de 15 minutos. Una de las canciones más icónicas de su repertorio, el tratamiento que se le da aquí es radical. Mientras que la melodía está referenciada al principio, Coltrane la hace a un lado con bastante rapidez para concentrarse en la improvisación. Su solo de tenor (escuchado en el canal izquierdo) comienza en serio un minuto y medio. Deconstruye gradualmente las diversas frases de la letra para soplar apasionadamente a través de ellas. Para cuando Sanders comienza su (demasiado largo) solo de tenor (canal derecho), la abstracción se vuelve total. Su intensidad y ferocidad son simplemente más de lo que la balada requiere. Incluso cuando Coltrane vuelve a solo de nuevo, y gradualmente lo baja, tiene que comenzar en ese pico caliente. "Naima" es una melodía diferente cuando todo está dicho y hecho. "Mis cosas favoritas" se divide en dos partes. Los primeros seis minutos pertenecen a un solo magnífico e imaginativo de Garrison. Coltrane no establece el tema familiar de la melodía hasta después de que se introduce el modo; luego, se introducen fragmentos de la melodía hasta que se convierten, aunque sea brevemente , en toda la línea principal. Desaparece rápidamente even a pesar de que se hace referencia de vez en cuando a lo largo de los solos de Coltrane. Sus solos de soprano son intensos pero absolutamente hermosos. Su forma de tocar es pura pasión e imaginación creativa, siempre consciente de los brillantes acordes de bloque que toca Alice. Ali patina propulsivamente a su alrededor, conduciendo insistentemente hasta que se le permite soltarse cuando Sanders y su tenor comienzan su violento lamento que simplemente ignora toda la melodía, excepto por una cita cerca del final para traer de vuelta a Coltrane. Sanders grita a través de su bocina a lo largo de su solo, y cuando Coltrane se reúne con él, es para encontrarse con él y tratar de controlarlo; deja al oyente exhausto después de su carrera de 25 minutos. ¡Live At The Village Vanguard Again! ciertamente no es para los recién llegados a Coltrane, y de hecho solo puede ser valioso para sus seguidores más ardientes a pesar de sus muchas cualidades.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-village-vanguard-again%21-mw0000652602
1 - Naima
2 - Introduction to My Favorite Things
3 - My Favorite Things
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Garrison
Design [Cover] – Robert Flynn (2)
Design [Liner] – Joe Lebow
Drums – Rashied Ali
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Liner Notes – Nat Hentoff
Photography By – Charles Stewart*
Piano – Alice Coltrane
Producer – Bob Thiele
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Pharoah Sanders
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Coltrane
Recorded live at the "Village Vanguard", NYC, May 28, 1966.
Track A2 is an unaccompanied bass solo by Jimmy Garrison.
Label: Impulse! – AS-9124, Impulse! – A-9124
Country: US
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz
Style: Free Jazz, Modal
https://www.discogs.com/release/466171-John-Coltrane-Live-At-The-Village-Vanguard-Again
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