Live in Japan (John Coltrane album)

Untitled

For other albums of this name, see Live in Japan (disambiguation).

Live in Japan is a four-disc box set by John Coltrane and his last group, featuring the quintet of Coltrane, his wife/pianist Alice, saxophonist/bass clarinetist Pharoah Sanders, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Rashied Ali.

Recorded live on Coltrane's only Japanese tour in July 1966 at two Tokyo venues, Shinjuku Kosei Nenkin Hall and Sankei Hall, it is taken from radio broadcasts. It is notable for the presence of alto saxophone, played both by Coltrane and Sanders.

By this point in his career, Coltrane was fully into exploring the avant-garde style of jazz, as very clearly stated in his playing. Sanders, who was already an innovator of free jazz, often transcended what the human ear perceives as music by way of overblowing technique and fierce vibrating of the reed, which causes a loud shrill sound similar to that of a girl screaming. Many critics have dismissed both men's playing during these years because of its distaste to the common listener.

Analyses

The songs on the 4-disc album are noted for their very lengthy running time (the shortest piece is 25 minutes long), all during which each player takes long, free solos, and sometimes the melody is not even played but only briefly alluded to. The material in each song is considered "hard-listening", as Coltrane's later music was very free and often experimental in sound rather than music.

At 38:49, the version of Afro Blue on this album is by far the longest Coltrane ever recorded. The solo form to this song is of the performer's choice: Either an F minor blues in 3/4 or an open vamp over F minor, the latter of which Coltrane always opted for. After playing the melody quite faithfully, he takes a 3-minute soprano sax solo, then turns over the spotlight to Sanders, who, for the next 12 minutes or so, uses his trademark screeching, screaming, and shrieking during his entire solo. Alice Coltrane plays a very avant-garde piano ad lib, and then Coltrane comes back in on soprano with a gargantuan 18-minute solo before ending the song. "Peace on Earth" is more listenable and subdued, with both saxophonists playing alto and trading off each other toward the end. Around this time, Coltrane also periodically gave Garrison extended bass solos to open some of the songs (this version of "My Favorite Things" begins with a 14-minute bass solo.) After a 5-minute bass intro, Coltrane's song "Crescent" is kicked off, with both saxophones taking ferocious, harsh solos during the almost hour-long version. A second version of "Peace on Earth" on the third disc is quite like the first, with Sanders complimenting the ensemble on auxiliary percussion when not playing. Coltrane's composition "Leo", which first appeared on his sax/drum duo album with Ali entitled Interstellar Space, is arguably the hardest listening on the album. It begins with Coltrane and Sanders playing harmonics and high, tuneless overblowing notes before the rest of the ensemble comes in. Ali takes an extended drum solo about 15 minutes in. After aforementioned bass solo, the hour-long version of "My Favorite Things" includes a very harmonic solo by Alice, and Coltrane and Sanders taking extended sax solos (Coltrane's is approximately 20 minutes).

Released in Japan in 1966, its complete American release was held back 25 years, though part of it was released in the mid-1970s.

Track Listing

Disc One

1. Afro Blue (Mongo Santamaria, 38:49)
2. Peace on Earth (Coltrane, 26:25)

Disc Two

1. Crescent (Coltrane, 54:33)

Disc Three

1. Peace on Earth (Coltrane, 25:05)
2. Leo (Coltrane, 44:49)

Disc Four

1. My Favorite Things (Hammerstein/Rodgers, 57:19)

Participants

• John Coltrane (soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, percussion)
• Alice Coltrane (piano)
• Pharoah Sanders (alto and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, percussion)
• Jimmy Garrison (bass)
• Rashied Ali (drums)