John Coltrane (JVC xrcd2 0202-2: Settin' the Pace

Justin Gawaziuk

Recent articles (1 total)

Settin' the Pace

Published: December 1, 2000

The rhythm section here has appeared with on several Prestige releases as the Red Garland Trio. Both Garland and Chambers have played with Coltrane in the Miles Davis Quintet, and Art Taylor did some work with Davis as well. There exists some comfort in the homogeneity of the orchestration in all these groups. Listening to the works by these fine players gives the jazz lover the chance to experience cohesive musicality seldom achieved in any genre.

Sonically, this reissue is a gem. JVC’s XRCD2 (extended resolution) reissues are the best CDs on the market. This is an early release of their second generation mastering technique and it does not disappoint. While it provides more realism than a reissue LP, it is just a hair less enjoyable than an original LP. Considering the difficulty of acquiring mint vintage vinyl most will consider this XRCD2 more than acceptable for any audiophile. Check out the Black Pearls rerelease (JVCXR-0017-2) for a pristine album that exemplifies how sound should sound!

In conclusion, one must not forget that lyricism has been used to describe Coltrane’s playing in nearly every single article about his music. Any dictionary describes lyricism as an "emotional and enthusiastic expressions of feelings or opinions". Settin the Pace may not be the definitive lyrical album (that nod goes to Lush Life ), but it still ranks close to his best work. Chronologically, it is key in the development of jazz in the late 1950’s and development of Coltrane as a player. Highly recommended!

Track Listing: 1. I See Your Face Before Me (9:56) 2. If There is Someone Lovelier Than You (9:19) 3. Little Melonae (14:03) 4. Rise 'N' Shine (7:14)

Personnel: John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Arthur Taylor (d)

Record Label: Prestige Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream