The album starts with Eckstine's ballad "I Want To Talk About You," where Coltrane plays tenor and ends with soloing alone for a couple of minutes before the band hits the last chord on cue - a common ending of several tunes, like on his version of "Dear Old Stockholm" for example - and it works every time! Great communication within the band, not to speak of the following track which without doubt is the highlight of the album; this is the best version I've ever heard (and perhaps will have ever heard) of "My Favorite Things." It should have gotten and should get as much attention as the work on Blue Train & Giant Steps, regardless of the tune not being Coltrane's own. Extraordinary musicianship. Coltane playes soprano sax throughout. McCoy Tyner's piano really comes through on this track. The whole band (that incidentally consists of Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Roy Haynes on tracks 1 through 3) do a great job! I've listened to the song at least 50 times, and every time I listen I'm amazed at how a band can play a song like this for nearly 18 minutes and keep it interesting every second from beginning to end. I can without doubt say that it's better than the studio version from 1960. Followed by this masterwork is "Impressions," the last track on the album recorded at Newport '63. Perhaps a bolder version than the original recording; The band accompanies Coltrane until his solo "takes off." From there on he plays with only Haynes for 10 minutes.
The album rounds off with a blues; "Chasin' Another Trane" - recorded live at the Village Vanguard in 1961 with a different line-up; Reggie Workman on bass, Elvin Jones on drums (credited as Roy Haynes on the CD,) and ERIC DOLPHY on alto sax, but all he playes on the track is a 3 minute solo. Maybe not the best work he has done, but it is Dolphy alright! Only the sound of his alto is the perfect intermission from Coltrane's solos. The quality of the recording is not as good as on the Newport tracks, but still very acceptable considering it's 40+ years old.
Deeply recommended for anyone who likes any other Coltrane album!

I consider this to be one of the finest live Coltrane recordings out there. It was also one of the first Coltrane albums I picked up, and it was a fantastic gateway to some of his more abstract live recordings on followup releases like LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD AGAIN and LIVE IN JAPAN. This is much more similar to AFRO BLUE IMPRESSIONS which is another overlooked release. By this point in time, Trane had already done some work with Eric Dolphy and his playing was growing in a much more abstract direction as we would hear on A LOVE SUPREME just one year later.

One of the reasons why this disc is overlooked is because Elvin Jones is replaced by Roy Haynes, while Jones was serving some jail time. The absence of Jones is noticeable but I still think this is worthy of five stars. The first 3 tracks are from the Newport Jazz Festival and in addition to Haynes and Trane, we have the remaining quartet members, McCoy Tyner (piano) and Jimmy Garrison (bass). Tyner is especially amazing on 'My Favorite Things' which I consider the best version of that piece in Trane's entire catalogue. I consider it to be a bridge to some of his later recordings. This is because we get Trane's two sides. First of all there is great tone and lyricism in the first part of the piece. However, the song still goes on for 17 minutes and the interplay between Tyner and Haynes for much of it is amazing.

Rounding out the performance is Billy Eckstine's 'I Want to Talk About You' with a mesmerizing credenza which is a staple of Trane's technique, followed by a 15 minute version of 'Impressions.' Again we hear Trane's two sides. On one hand we hear where he is COMING from. which is the confines of other jazz gods like Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk. On the the other hand we can see where he is GOING, which is a much more abstract/free-jazz approach. Once you can begin to understand Trane's more abstract side, you will find later recordings less challenging, such as INTERSTELLAR SPACE, MEDITATIONS, or A LOVE SUPREME.

In addition to the three Newport recordings, there is an extra track from November of 1961 from the Village Vanguard. 'Chasin' Another Trane' is played by Haynes and Trane as well as Dolphy on alto sax and Reggie Workman on bass. The presence of Dolphy and the removal of piano makes this the most avant-garde piece on the record, almost reminiscent of early Ornette Coleman.

Coltrane really cooks on this record, and the sound quality is also pretty decent. It's not as crystal clear as his Carnegie Hall concert with Monk, but nevertheless, I consider it a great place to start for Trane fans who are reluctant to embrace his later music.

I love this period in Coltrane's playing more than any other, i think, and this performance displays his classic quartet at its best. Coltrane, begining to expand upon his already beautiful modal improvisation with freer style and greater use of tremolo effects, is forceful as always. McCoy Tyner, displaying his amazing improvisational abilities, helps the music along by adding his forceful yet elegant style in ways that help the other players. Jimmy Garrison displays, as he always does, that he was one of the greatest bassists. Perhaps only Roy Hanes (Elvin Jones was not availablt to play this concert) is lacking in any way, but even he shows his energetic and skillful playing. This performance is, in my eyes, wholly underrated.

The story goes that Stan Getz was scheduled to go onstage after Coltrane at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1963. During Coltrane's performance, Getz turned to a man sitting next to him, his face pale. "How am I supposed to follow THAT?" he asked.

That is the performance which is released here. It was never released on LP; it is a compilation that dates back to 1993.

I Want to Talk About You: A fine performance of one of Coltrane's most frequently played ballads. Compare this to the "Live in Birdland" version.

My Favorite Things: This is Coltrane's best performance of "My Favorite Things", and I think it's one of his best performances of any tune ever! This performance has its own wild energy, yet every note seems to be perfectly in place.

Impressions: I prefer this version of "Impressions" over any other version; it's fast and furious, with Coltrane still apparently inspired by his performance of My Favorite Things. Truly breathtaking.

Chasin' Another Trane: This tune, which is actually "Blues to You" from the "Coltrane Plays the Blues" album, is a hyper-extended blues blowing competition. Coltrane and Dolphy play like maniacs. The track is very exciting, but it's over-long, and is rather shapeless.

My original LP copy of this album is called "My Favorite Things," and appropriately so. One whole side of the record consisted of this absolutely unbelievable, 20-minute version of Trane's signature tune, which, to my mind, he never surpassed on any other recording.

It's hard to convey the power of his style in this period without referring to the cliches--cascades or "sheets" of sound--but anyone who was heard his other recordings of this time can imagine whatever they've heard there, only more liberated and intense (which is saying a lot), and they'll get an idea of the frenetic energy and dazzling virtuosity of his "My Favorite Things." Even "A Love Supreme" sounds controlled compared to Trane's blowing on the title track (of the LP, that is). He begins by faithfully announcing the classic melody from "The Sound of Music" in the nasal wail of his soprano saxophone, but soon completely deconstructs the tune (similar to Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner") and builds an increasingly complex wave of notes that seems completely dissonant at first, but eventually melts into one big "sheet" of gorgeous, breathtaking music.

Indeed, this is an essential Trane album, right up there with "A Love Supreme" and "Crescent" and that by the sole virtue of "My Favorite Things." Those who are only familiar with "Giant Steps" or "Blue Train" be prepared for something completely different, but if you're open to it, this music can blow your mind.