John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

For those who many not know this is the very first press of a love supreme, it must only have the “A-77” and no other variants in tact

A flawless album. Every aspect of this record is perfect.

Writing about an album that occupies such a personal space in the hearts and minds of jazz fans is no easy task, so rather than discussing the the nature and structure of A Love Supreme, perhaps a bit of background would be more suitable, and a lot more fun.

Coltrane began to have dreams, and in those dreams he began to consider that god was revealing concepts and musical structures to him. He came to believe that A Love Supreme was given to him from the lips of god, complete and in its entirety. And to that end, the album was recorded in December of 1964, exactly as it had been revealed to him ... with the album’s tracking following the same script.

Coltrane’s work with Miles Davis is now the stuff of legend, both for the brilliant music and the personal excesses of the band . By the time Coltrane left the Quintet in 1956, he’d developed quiet a few bad habits, habits that were leading to his destruction. Had it not been for what he calls, “ ... a series of spiritual awakenings,” he may not have been around to present us with this outstanding piece of musical work. He gave up smoking, drinking, and his drug habit through intense meditation and prayer. The structure he imposed on himself must have been intense, because a year later he was in top form and working with Thelonius Monk; a period of time he will often refer to as one of the most enlightening of his life. I’m not sure that Miles Davis knew what to expect when Coltrane returned to his camp, with what he describes as ‘sheets of sound,’ and the two forever changed the world with the classic Kind Of Blue ... after which, Coltrane seriously submerged himself into his own sound, structure, voice, and mode of being ... resulting in the development of what he called Modal Jazz

Far before The Beatles had taken their journey to India, John Coltrane was exploring and folding the philosophies of Hinduism, Islam, West African music, astrology, science and even yoga into his music. The result is one of the most popular bodies of work ever laid down. But A Love Supreme steps outside of the realm of normal popular music, A Love Supreme is popular because it touches the lives of so many people in such a dramatic way ... it’s sheer perfection, in the same manner that the speed of light is so perfect, or the fact that pure science explains all, or that within the beauty of a single grain of sand lies the history of the universe.

Now, as good as any religiously based song may be, I find them entirely impossible to listen to, namely because the music is not about the music, it’s not about connecting with people, it’s foremost and always about the submission and glorification of one god or another; and that I can not abide. Yes, many have questioned whether or not I would enjoy this outing had I not understood it’s background, where to that I would have to say yes. But I do understand the nature and scope of this album, and it’s purpose is to preach to me rather than embracing me. Coltrane is attempting to show that he’s superior to me, like those families who hold hands an pray before a meal in a restaurant, that he understand a greater concept to the universe than I, leaving me to say that if that’s so, then have your deity knock on my front door, invite me to lunch and share those concepts with me in person. In the end Coltrane has turned out just like his father and grandfather, a preacher.

Review by Jenell Kesler