Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » John Coltrane (JVC xrcd2 0202-2: Settin' the Pace

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

By Justin Gawaziuk
December 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

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

saxophone

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

Album information

Title: Settin' the Pace | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Prestige Records

< Previous
Lemme Tell Ya 'Bout Desmond

Next >
Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival

Comments

About John Coltrane

Instrument: Saxophone

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

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.