Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » John Coltrane: Interstellar Space

14

John Coltrane: Interstellar Space

By

Sign in to view read count
John Coltrane: Interstellar Space
As the '60s dawned it would seem that John Coltrane was determined to permanently turn his back on being an accessible artist. Often considered as one of his most influential works, Interstellar Space is certainly not for everyone. Fans of My Favorite Things and Blue Train may struggle with its seemingly random and "multidirectional" explorations. Also, those who might be expecting this half solar system suite to be based on Gustav Holst's The Planets will be sorely disappointed. Because Coltrane's own compositions are in a complete solar system of their own, perhaps even another universe entirely. If Coltrane ever had Holst in mind, he never talked about it, not even to Rashied Ali, the young drummer Coltrane chose to recruit as a way of expanding his sound, and who would eventually go on to replace Coltrane's other drummer, the inimitable Elvin Jones, who departed due to his own increasing frustration at the saxophonist's new direction.

As Ali himself remembers, "If you listen... you can hear that something's going on and holding the whole thing together. I'm not playing regular time, but the feeling of regular time is there. I'm thinking in time."

First up is "Mars," a composition full of irregular rhythms and Coltrane's own expressionist playing. At over ten minutes, it can make for a fairly intense listen. If one could transcribe Jackson Pollock into music it might possibly resemble something such as this (maybe). "Venus" has a tender beginning before shortly wandering off into an utterly different reality altogether, as if Coltrane were attempting to explain the notions of string theory through his tenor saxophone.

The lesson in particle physics continues with our Professor demonstrating the theoretical framework of the cosmos on "Jupiter," before the listener receives yet another lecture in quantum mechanics with "Saturn." It's all pretty fascinating stuff really, provided one has the intellect to actually understand it.

Originally issued in 1974, some seven years after Coltrane's passing, Impulse! has included two bonus tracks, the seriously feverish "Leo" and "Jupiter Variations." Both the packaging and remastered sound are excellent as always, and if you're really keen, you can wind back from track one to hear several false starts.

In his final years, Coltrane divided both critics and admirers in equal measure. Mad professor, avant-garde prophet, or inspired innovator? Perhaps he was all of these and more. Just as 1959's Giant Steps marked a turning point between his past and what was soon to come, so too could Interstellar Space be regarded as the work of a restless spirit and musical maverick whose concept of cosmic contemplation was often light years ahead of many of his contemporaries.

Track Listing

Mars; Venus; Jupiter; Saturn; Leo; Jupiter variation.

Personnel

John Coltrane
saxophone

John Coltrane: tenor saxophone, bells; Rashied Ali: drums.

Album information

Title: Interstellar Space | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Impulse!

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near Melbourne
Jazz Near Melbourne
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.