First off, I believe that an uninitiated person would get a good impression of Trane's signature sound by listening to "Trane's Blues" through "Naima" in this collection. However, there are a few problems. Even the liner notes state how it is possible to see the Charlie Parker-isms in the first selections. Coupled with shaky sound quality, they do little for any but Coltrane archivists. The live "My Favorite Things" is interesting, but "Ogunde" fades out (probably due to lack of space) after about 1:55 minutes. Even a more worthwhile track like "Trinkle Tinkle" shows Coltrane within the rhythmic and melodic framework of Thelonious Monk. And where is "A Love Supreme"? And although the biographical liner notes are informative, having "60 Minutes"'s Ed Bradley talk about a club date from the 60's, or a poem by Amiri Baraka, shed little light on the artist. Although the studio selections are unshakeable monuments, a beginner would be better off with either the full albums or an overview of studio recordings. A Trane fan who has all of those would be better off with a collection of unreleased recordings.

I'm glad I have this set just for the live version of My Favorite Things

Great packaging and some great music, but all in all a poor effort.

Most of the "previously unreleased" recordings are of very poor quality. After hearing them here, I understand why they were never released.

This is a top-notch effort by its producers. From the informative essays, handsome packaging and representative selections, I have a hard time finding fault.

Yes, perhaps the sound quality on the rare material is weak, but then again they spotlight the development in his playing and give a feel for setting. He didn't always perform in modern studios! The older tracks also help dispel a dangerous myth that Coltrane was a kind of born mystic, a divine character, which I believe he was; but the divine qualities were part of his humanness. In other words, a wizard didn't sprinkle fairy dusk on him as an infant. He "walked the bar" shouting the blues, imitated Bird, and made countless errors. Eventually with year's of diligent practice, experimentation and personal exploration he became the legend we all know and love. The epic human journey is made clear in this anthology.

For those with more abstract taste, you can confidently argue that the "late Coltrane" years are given short shrift - only 1:55 on a two-disk set.

Of special note is the live "My Favorite Things" where Eric Dolphy's exquisite flute work pairs majestically with JC's vision.

If you're looking for a good compilation of old Coltrane classics, including rare live versions and alternate takes, this is an outstanding buy. This release is worth the purchase just for "My Favorite Things".

I purchased this two-CD anthology for a dirt-cheap price on Amazon after borrowing it from my local library.