A Love Supreme

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1. Acknowledgement

2. Resolution

3. Pursuance

4. Psalm

Amazon.co.uk Review
A Love Supreme is a suite about redemption, a work of pure spirit and song, that encapsulates all the struggles and aspirations of the 1960s. Following hard on the heels of the lyrical, swinging Crescent, A Love Supreme heralded Coltrane's search for spiritual and musical freedom, as expressed through polyrhythms, modalities and purely vertical forms that seemed strange to some jazz purists but which captivated more adventurous listeners (and rock fellow travellers such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, and the Byrds), while initiating a series of volatile, unruly prayer offerings, including Kulu Su Mama, Ascension, Om, Meditations, Expression, Interstellar Space. From the urgent speech-like timbre of his tenor, to the serpentine textures and earthy groove of Elvin Jones's drumming, Coltrane's suite proceeds with escalating intensity, conveying a hard-fought wisdom and a beckoning serenity in the prayer-like drones of "Psalm", where Jones rolls and rumbles like thunder as Garrison and Tyner toll away suggestively--all the while Coltrane searches for that one climactic note worthy of the love he wants to share. --Chip Stern

CD Description
A LOVE SUPREME is the essential example of the genius of John Coltrane. In what has become the apotheosis of jazz music, this eminently accessible work bridges the gap between music and spirituality, between art and life. With the ultimateincarnation of the jazz quartet, Coltrane brings together all of his turbulent elements into a cohesive paean to spirituality, one which is fully appreciable by the uninitiated.
A LOVE SUPREME is a 33-minute work divided into four movements. "Acknowledgment" starts the album with a heraldic summoning from Coltrane's tenor saxophone, full and joyous, which approximates the tone of the prayer he provides in the album's liner notes. The solo that follows reveals an artist whose spiritual depth and emotional urgency are matched by an adherence to logic and a resolve to achieve one goal above all--communication. Each simple musical statement is either followed by a motivic development or countered with a conversational response. Coltrane climaxes with a distilled four-note motif echoing the album's title, which he plays with by sequencing it through a wide array of tonalities. Finally, the band comes in, reiterating this idea, chanting the mantra "A Love Supreme".
"Acknowledgment" is followed by the torrential release of "Resolution", whose melody Coltrane fervently states to the animated accompaniment of his superb rhythm section. Laying the groundwork is drummer Elvin Jones, who approximates the effect of multiple percussionists feedingoff of each other, creating an enormous texture of rhythm. McCoy Tyner's colourful piano clusters act as gusts of wind supporting Trane's soaring expressions. Bassist Jimmy Garrision takes the low road, keeping everyone on track. With support like this, Coltrane is free to explore the uncharted depths of his soul. On "Resolution", we can hear the very fabric of Trane's voice being stretched to the limit, as if even the horn which he has mastered is not a worthy enough vehicle for this man's spirit.
The rousing "Pursuance" featuressome vigorously swinging playing from Tyner, furiously followed by Coltrane's climaxes in an inspired hurling of ideas.Bassist Garrison brings us to A LOVE SUPREME's conclusion, an extended "Psalm" that acts as a resolved denouement in which Trane slowly muses over a lush bed of tranquil sounds--almost as if he were reflecting upon the wisdom achieved at this apex of his spiritual journey. Although the music is slowed, the level of intensity is maintained, as if we've reached a plateau upon which we may ponder what is pronounced in the liner notes, "Elation--Elegance--Exaltation--All from God". Via John Coltrane.

5 Reviews 5 star:  (5) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   24 of 25 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Follow the Impulse (now check the 2002 remaster/live edn.), 2 Dec 2002 By  Simon Barrow (Exeter, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    What can be said of Coltrane's transcendent 'A Love Supreme' that hasn't already been spoken or written? A great deal, I'm sure. But first you have to enter its extraordinary sound world. That is by far the most important thing: to take the suite on its terms, and to be prepared to alter your expectations and presuppositions accordingly. For, as Robert Fripp would put it, it is a music that invites you into its presence. It is there way before you are. And its transformation of jazz is still not finished. As most reading this will know, the studio version is tracked by a full live rendition (issued independently on CD in 2000) from the Antibes jazz festival 1965. You need to check that out too, and the remastered Impulse recordings -- based on new master tapes released in October 2002 -- are perhaps the best place to begin. But you might be intrigued by this, dense compressed version, which is all we had from the studio until more recently. Wherever you start, 'A Love Supreme' still retains the capacity to surprise, entice and delight even the most over-taxed ears; surely a true testimony to its greatness. Winnowing sax, uncomplicated melodic sophistication, subtle modal delights, percussive ingenuity (not just from the drummer) and a spirit of blazing but well-tempered spiritual passion make these inter-twining tracks what they are: wholly entrancing. To add to the delight of discovery there is also a new book which helps to fill in the background to the album, the era that witnessed its birth and the creative force behind it. ‘A Love Supreme: The Creation of John Coltrane’s Classic Album’ by Ashley Kahn (Granta Books 2002 (ISBN: 186207545X), has a Foreword by percussion legend Elvin Jones. It is full of information and insight, of course. But it is best to begin with those magical notes... Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   10 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Still supreme after all these years., 1 Dec 2004 By  R Jess "Raymond Jess" (Limerick, Ireland.) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    It's a testament to John Coltrane's artistic vision that a piece of uncomprimising music such as a 'A Love Supreme' can be heard for the universalism it stands for. Recorded in a studio in New Jersey in late 1964, Coltrane had spent a week alone in a room in his house away from his wife and children. During that time of contemplation and isolation, he put pen to paper to bare his soul to God and the essence of 'A Love Supreme' was born. I don't think it was a coincedence that at the time this album was recorded in the mid-60's, a new philosophy of spirituality and peace & love began to prevade popular music in general. The Church of St. John Coltrane still resides in that bastion of hippiedom San Francisco. The music on the album itself is powerful not just for Coltrane's playing itself but also for the fanatical interplay of the quartet. 'Acknowledgement' opens with Garrison's passionate bass line, leading into Coltrane's dynamic and ingenious playing, the quartet's spirited performance like a fervant, untamed emotion that has gripped them all. 'Resolution' blazes from the record with Tyler burnishing the track with some brilliant playing of his own. Jones's frantic drumming comes to the fore on the opening of 'Pursuance', a track where the meaning of 'Chasin' The Trane' becomes self-evident as Garrison, Tyler and Jones follow in hot pursuit of their leader's furious joy. Tyler's playing is again compelling as the quartet trade notes with such alarming velocity before Garrison's bass tip-toes and leads us like the pied-piper to the concluding 'Psalm'. It's refreshing in this day and age to hear an artist whose sincerity and integrity shines through his work. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer Genius!, 2 Feb 2005 By  "jamesg04" - See all my reviews This is very much a Desert island disc for me, and it is just amazing. 'Trane is unbelievable all of the time on this record, as the rest of the band is, and Drummers listen to the start of track three one of the best things ive ever heard on drums! This is only gonna be a short review, but straight to the point, great album, my favorite Trane album, and probably alot of other peoples, not enough words to describe its brilliance! This truely is a Love Supreme! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 5 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone must have this Even if you are not especially 'into' jazz, this album truly deserves the description 'seminal'. Just the sheer emotion behind the playing must be witnessed. Read more Published on 5 Aug 2005 by acousticbeauty 5.0 out of 5 stars A CLASSIC Simply put in antyone's top ten so buy it, buy it, buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy it,buy... Read more Published on 16 Jun 2005 by Chaka Whyte Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 5 customer reviews...

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