Giant Steps [Original recording remastered, Extra tracks]

The title tune features a huge, assured performance from Coltrane, with Art Taylor providing densely argued rhythmic support. Only Tommy Flanagan appears to struggle with this intensity, but treats it with both affection and mastery 23 years later with the superlative tribute Giant Steps: In Memory of John Coltrane (Enja, 1982). On "Cousin Mary" Paul Chambers is on tremendous form, playing generous, confident bass behind Coltrane's swelling tenor. Less well-known, bordering on the unreal, is "Countdown", now more frequently recognised as a singular item in the jazz canon. It's blistering, exhausting and exhaustive, a swirling madness of harmonic and tonal exploration. Flanagan, more assured now, comps solidly behind Trane, helping him to build up to a final climax, in which contrary to convention, Trane states the theme. Rounding off the sound and accelerating the tempo almost imperceptibly, Paul Chambers enters seemingly without effort, helping to create an exhilarating tapestry reminiscent of Miles Davis' "Tune Up" on Cookin'. The rarely revisited "Spiral" has a wonderful, swinging pulse, and deserves to be better represented in subsequent musicians' tributes. "Syeeda's Song Flute" is a simple theme, tersely set up, demanding release. It provides the background for one of Trane's most eloquent and expressive solos on the album. Flanagan delivers, true to form, a solo of light, lucid transparency, not dissimilar in execution to the solos of the great Sonny Clark. "Naima" is the album's most emblematic piece, now firmly associated with John Coltrane as a defining composition - self-searching, built upon a melody so simple it can be reduced to two scales. This austerity, combined with a fervent inner zeal, are among the most distinctive characteristics of the Coltrane oeuvre.

Giant Steps ends with "Mr P.C." (for the bassist Paul Chambers), a massive, swelling blues, lifted from its primal essentials to an ethereal hymn-like height with a riveting melodic solo.

Giant Steps is an essential purchase.

The energized melody of the title track bursts from the record in a relentless attack. The imagination of Coltrane's playing can best be heard on 'Cousin Mary' where he begins with swing before taking the melody on a world tour from the blues to the Far East. 'Countdown' sounds initially like uncomprimising free-jazz but there is a strong rhythm behind it that you can even snap your fingers to and there isn't a more delightful moment on the album than it's whistful ending. Coltrane's playing on the second version included here is even more astounding.

Coltrane takes us on another journey back and forth between jazz's past and future with 'Spiral', swaying between a swinging tempo and a halting, Eastern-thinged descent. It's emotional intensity is a staple of this remarkable album. On 'Syeeda's Song Flute' the master gives the other players a chance to shine with Tommy Flanagan's playing unthinkably cool and unrelenting at the same time. The track segues ponderously into 'Naima' where Flanagan again comes to the fore with some of his most personal playing, while the saxophone smoulders.

'Mr. PC' combines all the best of John Coltrane and the backing trio on this album. His heady mixture of old-time jazz, swing and his own intense improvisations conspire to deliver a hothouse performance with the other players driving hard behind him.

'Giant Steps' is an album that any serious music lover should have in their collection, artistic, cerebral and emotional all at the same time.

The band provide superb backup, especially Paul Chambers on bass, who lends his initials to one of the best tracks, "Mr PC". My favourite, however, is "Syeeda's Song Flute" purely for the relaxed sync-ops riff Coltrane uses at the beginning of the track. Those who prefer Coltane's frantic soloing will not be disappointed - "Countdown" is outrageously fast.

Overall, a solid album, which is great fun to listen to. A good intro to John Coltrane.