Bethlehem Years
This pair of discs represents three separate December 1957 recording sessions, two of which were originally issued withArt Blakeyas the leader of the rollicking big band. Today, Coltrane's name supersedes even Blakey's in the jazz pantheon. The third session is a quintet with Blakey,Donald Byrd, Walter Bishop Jr., and Wendell Marshall, the core of the big band. Disc Two boasts fifteen unreleased alternate takes, including a wobbly, uncredited "Oasis," replete with studio chatter. These dates mark a transitional period for Coltrane, coming on the heels of his firstMiles DavisQuintet stint and at the cusp of his brief but legendary tenure withThelonious Monk. Not quite at the sheets-of-sound period in his career, Monk still plays with an appealing urgency and energy, setting him apart from his mates. Though he doesn't solo on every track, his is the most compelling voice to step out from the ensemble into the spotlight. One quibble: there are no soloist credits listed, though it's certainly clear when Trane steps up to the mic. This package is good for historical purposes, well recorded and well executed, but it's not particularly essential to Coltrane's oeuvre.--Willard Jenkins