Another excellent offering from Coltrane. The Red Garland Trio backs him for this outing in the studio. It is a perfect blend of fast steady playing and smooth ballads. The outstanding playing from the RG3 keeps things tight and Coltrane provides the rest. It shows a still developing Coltrane sound that would continue to grow as he played on into the 1960s. A must for any kind of John Coltrane fan. It is yet another classic set from his days with the Prestige label. Buy it right now and play it loud! From the first listen you again realize why John Coltrane is one of the best jazz players in history. A true legend of the sax, case closed!

This album, heard over a late-night AM radio in 1958, at the end of a drunken evening and back in the quiet of my dorm room, made me love jazz. There was no turning back.

Can't give Red Garland and John Coltrane a mere 3 stars. They're incredible musicians, together and individually. But most of their other records outshine these fine tracks. Garland's playing is typically lovely yet still interesting - flowery not in a bad way. Coltrane seems a tad uninspired - of course good but not his sharpest, even of that time. The trio w/ Coltrane is better heard on "High Pressure" and "Dig It!". Nothing beats their Miles Davis Quintet sessions of 1956, released on 4 albums, Workin', Cookin', Steamin', and Relaxin', all very highly recommended, esp. in remastered versions.

although the ballads of this cd are beautiful, his ideas are disorganized and his playing seems clutttered... if you're looking for some of Coltrane's best bebop playing, i suggest his work with the miles davis quintet/sextet