This album has for years been a second-class citizen to its more famous cousins from Birdland and the Village Vanguard, however this is truly a must have for Coltrane fans. The energy of performance and synergy of the players epitomizes the quality of this quartet. The highlights include a blasting performance of the not often performed "Cousin Mary" and a vintage performance of "I Want to Talk About You" whose coda excedes the perforances at Birdland. Tyner is in top form, but the finest moments are between Coltrane and Elvin Jones whose ferocity matches perfectly with Coltrane throughout. Overall, I have many Coltrane CD's, including the complete Vanguard box set, and I find myself playing this one the most.

1963 was an important year for the John Coltrane quartet. It was a year of transition for the group, because it bridged the gap between his older "sheets of sound" recordings like GIANT STEPS and SOULTRANE and his avant-garde recordings in the years to follow. Just several months later, Coltrane would release the lovely CRESCENT album as well as the landmark, A LOVE SUPREME, where Coltrane takes his music to a new level. In the summer of '63 Coltrane performed at the Newport Jazz Festival with his regular quartet, except with Roy Haynes on drums, as opposed to Elvin Jones. Jones was spending a few months in jail at the time for some type of drug offense, but by the time their European tour came around in the fall, Jones was back in the band with the other two regulars - McCoy Tyner (piano) and Jimmy Garrison (bass).

I must echo other reviewers in stating that AFRO BLUE IMPRESSIONS is essential for your Coltrane collection, even though it is often overlooked by critics. This 2-cd set was not released until 1977 (ten years after Coltrane's death), but the music is familiar, as it is a collection of works from GIANT STEPS, IMPRESSIONS, LIVE AT BIRDLAND, and a couple other important recordings. Even though these tracks are a re-hash of early-60's Trane, you will find that he takes an abstract turn in his solos. Therefore, apart from the main themes, the music was actually somewhat revolutionary for that time.

The first disc opens with a track from the soon-to-be-released CRESCENT LP, 'Lonnie's Lament'. This 10-minute epic explores the softer side of Coltrane while still covering an extended portion of music with free jazz elements to it. This same style can be mirrored in the equally somber 'Naima' from GIANT STEPS. Following these softer tracks is the high-energy 'Chasin' the Trane'. Coltrane follows earlier practices by leaving the piano out of this track. Other recordings of it, such as on LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD featured none other than the prolific Eric Dolphy. I often look to this song as a method of explaining Trane's growth as an artist because of its striking similarities to Ornette Coleman's late 50's work, which also featured a piano-less quartet. The absence of piano allows the soloist more freedom in the phrasing of notes. Closing up the first disc is one of my favorite recordings of 'My Favorite Things'. Clocking in at a solid 21 minutes, the quartet really stretches out here to an eventual breaking point where Jones and Trane are left to play against one another. Some listeners may complain that the sound quality begins to fade at this point, but I don't let it bother me too much, as the quality of the performance more than makes up for it.

The second disc opens with Mongo Santamaria's 'Afro Blue,' which I find to be one of my favorite Coltrane pieces. In some ways, this specific performance pales in comparison to its lively counterpart on LIVE AT BIRDLAND, but in other ways, specifically Coltrane's extended solo, it adds new life to the piece. Following 'Afro Blue' is 'Cousin Mary' from the GIANT STEPS album. This is a hard-swinging modal piece that fits in quite nicely on this record, although it would soon represent an element of the past in the context of Coltrane's late-60's peformances. AFRO BLUE IMPRESSIONS also has a wonderful recording of Billy Eckstine's 'I Want to Talk About You' with its trademark 'extended credenza' which spans a solid six minutes this time around.

Finishing up the second disc are probably the two most avant-garde pieces, both coming from the IMPRESSIONS LP, 'Spiritual' and 'Impressions'. I prefer 'Spiritual' with Eric Dolphy on it, and you may want to consider picking up LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD for an awesome listening experience. The bass clarinet intro on that recording will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Do not allow this to taint the AFRO BLUE IMPRESSIONS version, though. Coltrane is absolutely wonderful on this piece, and the break between the intro and the main theme in 3/4 time is outstanding.

I urge all Coltrane fans to pick up this worthy 2-disc live set. At times, the sound quality could be better, but you're not going to find another performance like this anywhere. The choice of tracks will be famliar, and the musicianship, especially that of Coltrane, is a solid encapsulation of his musical versatility.

John Coltrane is one of my favorite musicians. I would give almost everything he recorded five stars. "Afro Blue Impressions" is the recording that really turned me on to Trane in the first place, and is the one that I've listened to the most over the years. Every tune is outstanding, but I particularly love "My Favorite Things." This version is completely different from the studio recording, at a much faster tempo, and extending over 20 minutes. McCoy's solo is one of his best, and Trane's playing is phenomenal. At times he sounds like two saxophonists engaged in a duet. This is the John Coltrane Quartet at their finest, which means it's some of the greatest art ever produced in any medium. I agree with some of the other reviewers who have criticized the sound quality on these two discs, but the music more than makes up for it. Any Coltrane collection is incomplete without "Afro Blue Impressions."

As a professional saxophone player I think this CD is a very important historic evidence of John Coltrane evolution. Adam Gogolak is absolutely right when he says that these recordings have been underestimated for many years because they were always compared to John Coltrane performances on Impulse. If you are a John Coltrane fan you must have this CD.

The performances on this album and yes even the sound capture a feeling and soundstage that is nothing less then breathtaking. Not that the recording dynamics are the best recording, but there is something quite extraordinary with all of these performances that rates #1. Afro Blue, Spiritual, Chasin The Trane, Cousin Mary, Lonny's Lament are great. I want to talk about you is a must have. AND to my ears, and I've heard most of them, early and late...This NAIMA is of the highest order of HEART WRENCHING excursions that Trane Or perhaps anyone else has ever recorded. You will hear a truely connected artist expressing the highest order of love, pain and joy wrapped in a musical envelope. It is true gold and a must have, if only for this track. Buy It!