Somewhere lost between the avant-garde adulation of "Ascension" and the historic praise of "Love Supreme" is this forgotten gem.Maybe it's posthumous release or the dreadful cover art has kept it from wider acceptance. At once raging,tender, and abstract it contains some of the Classic Quartets finest moments. If for no other reason, a must-buy just for the album opener "Love"... Truly one of Trane's most beautiful performances and one of those rare moments in music... when all heaven breaks loose.

Coltrane was in transition when he recorded this version of Meditations. The album was only released in the 1970s. Although Trane's style is beyond A Love Supreme, it has not yet crossed the boundary to his full later style. Listen to the way his soloing on "Love" slowly ascends to an improvisation of pure sound, screaming atonally. These steps to a fully free style are only tentative, however.

THis is also the last album recorded by the classic quartet that had faithfully served Trane (in one form or another) since about 1960. There is definitely strain between Trane and his less enthusiastic pianist, Tyner. Tyner seems determined to hold back Coltrane's music and somehow make it fit into classic music theory. When Coltrane begins screeching, Tyner frantically plays louder and more severely, trying to catch the leader's stratospheric ambition in the gravity of classic harmony.

Nevertheless, the music is incredibly beautiful. The tune "Compassion" may be my favourite, with a music theme that might represent the heartbeat of God. "Joy" is very fierce and uplifting; "Love" is strangely angst-ridden.

I have only had this cd for about two weeks, but it has been enough for me to realize how truly wonderful it is! I have already listened to it quite a few times. It is immensely beautiful and at the same time haunting. "Love" is Trane trilling away over a wash of sound, "Compassion" is solemn but wonderful and "Joy" is a suspended-chord romp that is nearly danceable! All in all, I think First Meditations is a wonderful album, one of the best the Classic Quartet ever recorded and definitely as good if not better than "A Love Supreme." (Which was recorded 9 months before.) This album is definitely magical, and it proved to me that Coltrane definitely one of the most gifted musicians to ever have lived. This album showcases him from 3 standpoints: improviser, composer and leader. Not many other albums of his have done that. That only adds to the beauty of this album. I would even recomend this as a first buy for a novice Coltrane fan. Challenging, but not enough to ruin the enjoyment. I haven't heard the original version of "Meditations" yet (with Rashied Ali and Pharoah Sanders) but this is a great choice if it is too much for you. (From what I have heard, it is very hard to listen to, and may even scare away novices.)

If you can handle dissonance, or if you are simply feeling adventurous, grab this CD. If you are not comfortable with 1960's avant garde jazz, then you will need to listen to it a few times. Once you get in touch with what the musicians are doing, this music will overwhelm you with its power and beauty. It's simply one of the most staggeringly beautiful pieces of music that I've ever heard. I think that it would be tragic to have lived one's life without listening to this music. Really.

I think first meditations is an underrated and overlooked album. Many people think it is not good because it wasn't released until 12 years after it was recorded.(Recorded in 1965 released in 1977)It was technically the last album made in the studio by the classic quartet.If you think it's a rip off of Meditations it's not they have some of the same songs but this is not in free form like Meditations.