The Ultimate Blue Train
Blue Trainis one of those ineffable sound recordings that actually seems to capture a moment of perfect artistry. Coltrane was in the midst of a Prestige recording contract but was able to honor a previous commitment to Blue Note and release this one album. With four Coltrane originals, including the haunting theme of the title track, and one standard, this recording showed Coltrane was becoming the complete package: player, composer, and bandleader. What distinguishes this session from the Prestige dates of the same time is the easy, relaxed, and obviously well-rehearsed playing of the group, and the usual masterful recording by Rudy van Gelder. This enhanced CD-ROM also features two alternate takes. The well-designed multimedia elements, including musician interviews and pictures from the famous van Gelder studio, round this stellar session into an experience that informs and delights over and over.--Michael Monhart