John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (Reel-to-Reel, Ultra Tape)
John Coltrane – bandleader, liner notes, vocals, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Jimmy Garrison – double bass
Elvin Jones – drums, gong, timpani [click here to see more vinyl featuring Elvin Jones]
McCoy Tyner – piano
2 x Ultra Tape reel-to-reel
15 ips, ¼-inch analog tape copy (IEC equalization) sourced from a copy of the original analog master tape.
Transferred real-time, using an ATR-modified Ampex Tape Machine with flux magnetic heads.
Custom slipcase cover
Stereo
Studio
Label : Analogue Productions
Original Label : Impulse
Recorded December 9, 1964 in Van Gelder Studio
Engineered & mixed by Rudy Van Gelder
Produced by Bob Thiele
Remastered by Ryan K. Smith
Originally released in 1965
To be reissued in 2022
Tracks :
Reel 1:
- Part I - Acknowledgement
- Part II – Resolution
Reel 2:
- Part III - Pursuance / Part IV - Psalm
Awards:
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Ranked 66
Reviews :
"One of the most important records ever made, John Coltrane's A Love Supreme was his pinnacle studio outing, that at once compiled all of the innovations from his past, spoke to the current of deep spirituality that liberated him from addictions to drugs and alcohol, and glimpsed at the future innovations of his final two and a half years. Recorded over two days in December 1964, Trane's classic quartet--Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jimmy Garrison-- stepped into the studio and created one of the most the most thought-provoking, concise, and technically pleasing albums of their bountiful relationship. From the undulatory (and classic) bassline at the intro to the last breathy notes, Trane is at the peak of his logical and emotionally varied soloing, while the rest of the group is completely atttuned to his spiritual vibe. Composed of four parts, each has a thematic progression. "Acknowledgement" is the awakening to a spiritual life from the darkness of the world; it trails off with the saxophonist chanting the suite's title. "Resolution" is an amazingly beautiful, somewhat turbulent segment. It portrays the dedication required for discovery on the path toward spiritual understanding. "Pursuance" searches deeply for that experience, while "Psalm" portrays that discovery and the realization of enlightenment with humility. Although sometimes aggressive and dissonant, this isn't Coltrane at his most furious or adventurous. His recordings following this period--studio and live-- become progressively untethered and extremely spirited. A Love Supreme not only attempts but realizes the ambitious undertaking of Coltrane's concept; his emotional, searching, sometimes prayerful journey is made abundantly clear. Clocking in at 33 minutes; A Love Supreme conveys much without overstatement. It is almost impossible to imagine any jazz collection without it." A Love Supreme Review by Sam Samuelson
"I picked up the new Acoustic Sounds (Series) reissue of A Love Supreme, John Coltrane's classic album originally released in 1965 on Impulse! Records. I've owned it on CD (Impulse! Records GRD-155) for years, but I bought a vinyl copy (Impulse! Records GR-155) a few years ago. ... Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound mastered A Love Supreme from original analog tapes for the new pressing, and he gives the recording more space and realism than I hear in the other versions I own. Instruments are lifelike and more clearly presented. Even Garrison's double bass, which could have been more forward in the original recording, has more impact and body. Jones's cymbals have more shimmer, each drum sounds out forcefully, and it's easier to hear the unique tones of each drum. McCoy Tyner's piano chords are harmonically richer and more dynamic. The new LP has a much deeper and wider soundstage and gives me a better sense that the music was performed in a three-dimensional space. ... On the CD and my other vinyl pressings, the music seems to stop at the speakers, while on this reissue it has more room to spread out and show itself. During Elvin Jones's solo drum feature on the opening of "Part III — Pursuance," the drums sound larger and echo more clearly into the left channel than on the CD and the other LPs I own. Cymbals splash with more excitement, and when Coltrane enters with the rest of the quartet, his sax has more fire and edge. ... For a reasonable price, you can pick up this great-sounding version of A Love Supreme by Acoustic Sounds and be assured that you are closer to hearing what occurred in the studio during the recording of this seminal jazz album." Recording of the Month December 2020, Joseph Taylor, soundstagenetwork.com
"Anyone who tells you the original pressing bests this new one simply has not heard either! ... The original is just not very good at all. Quite the opposite for Ryan Smith's cut. Tyner's piano in particular is spectacularly well-served sitting clearly and convincingly in three-dimensions between the speakers. You could say Coltrane's sax is slightly thinner than you might want but that would be system-dependent and as far as I'm concerned the cut is another out of the park home run set against black backgrounds." Michael Fremer, Analog Planet
Ratings :
AllMusic : 5 / 5 , Discogs : 4,67 / 5