The Johnny Hartman with John Coltrane album is available on redbook CD (mono) and SACD (mono + (artificial ?) stereo).
Does the SACD offer better sound quality (supposing you have a cd-player which can handle both formats) ? |
"12-06-06: Chazzbo
Yes the classic of classic where the rich coffee Hartman met up with Tranes "Classic Quartet" who played more beatiffully and "in the pocket"(something which some crtics thought Coltarne could not do) than even their legendary "Ballds" LP.A defineite classic!"
Agreed, yes Cazzbo- you are da man.
A few addl thoughts:
From the very nicely crafted book written by Ashley Kahn - The House That Trane Built:
"both Ballads and even (sic) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman came about because of the jazz critics. "We decided to straighten these guys out once and for all by showing them that John was as great and complete a jazz artist as we already knew, and it was one of the few times that he accepted a producer's concept."
BTW - my rec's for female vocalese would be #1 - Sarah Vaughn/Sarah Vaughn on Verve w/ Clifford Brown.
I listen to this far more than I do Coltrane/Hartman; and I listen to Coltrane at least 6 hours/week - have for 25 years.
Bestest,
Jeff |
Trasando
The Classic Quartet had a groove that many folks myslef felt was the peak.Once Pharoah Sander entered in on Meditations things just got more and more out.You have to wonder what Coltrane was thinking that he who was a grerat innovator in the line from Coleman Hawkins to Sonny Rollins and to Colatrane who started his career relatively late as a leader had such an impact as an inovator from his Miles perios to Giant Steps "SDheets Of Sound" why would he follow Albert Ayler or Shepp into the new thing?Less satisfying musically he fllowed and din't lead for the last four years of his life fater '64.But if you want to hear some stuff that will blow your mind check out the live recordings availible on small lables like Blue Parrot of his live stuff in Europe and Japan in 64-65.He kjept the standard repetory but started to extend the songs out to up to 20 minutes and it is much heavier than what what he had done previously,still with Tyner,Garrison ,and Jones but much more fre and harder edge.But Lp's like The Major Works of John Coltrane-it's just to out.For me.I like some of the "New Thing" but insmall dosees.But hey what if he had lived.Just listen to the beaautifull Lp's that Sanders made recently like "Journey To The One" or Shepp's beatific Ballad Lp/CD's on Venus (the best recodings I have ever heard on 24 bit machines that wehn played back on CD players blow 95% of all CD's away".Or Marion Brown "Offering".These guys could now be said to have become neo conservative or full circle.I think that Coltrane may have done amzingly beautifull things but like with Hendrix we can only wonder.
C |
I'm in the distinct minority on this one, but I believe that almost any of the Coltrane records from this time or later are 'better'--more musically rewarding--than the Hartman album. Meditations, for example. |
Yes the JH/JC remaster along with being some of the most beautiful music is also one of the very best recordings of male voice and sax. They are miked/mixed perfectly where I can close my eyes and truly believe they are in the room. Especialy track 3. I also love the Armstrong with Duke Ellington recommended by CMO. Make sure you get the newly remastered complete recordings session. The sound is incredible. Check out the track " I got it bad and that ain't good" and listen to the trumpet intro where you can hear the fingering as well as his breath. Awesome. If you like Miles the remasterd " Relax'n" is both beautiful and of audiophile quality. Miles trumpet is perfect. Coletrane is recorded/mixed a little too "hot' but still darn good. Love this stuff - Jim |
Just a side note, the SACD version has both the mono and stereo recordings. Your right, it just doesn't get better than this. |
Try "Blues for Easy Livers" by Jimmy Witherspoon.
Prestige OBCCD-585-2
Also very nice if you like the others mentioned in this thread. |
Chazzbo, you be the man. Got your aside e mail. That's some collection you got there. This is just what I was looking for. I love all these singers, but now I have some specifics. Cool...warren :) |
Yes the classic of classic where the rich coffee Hartman met up with Tranes "Classic Quartet" who played more beatiffully and "in the pocket"(something which some crtics thought Coltarne could not do) than even their legendary "Ballds" LP.A defineite classic!
If you want more Hartman his second best is also a Impulse gig called "I just Dropped By To Say Hello" with Illinois Jacquet on Sax and Kenny Burell on Guitar.Net in the Impulse catalogue almost in that top tier "Unforgettable" while "The Voicve That is" another Impulse! IS good but not great.
His early Savoy work is like pre-Capitol Sinatra just not mature enough .Next to his to great two Impluse! Lp's is the 1980 LP on Bee Hive Called "Once in Every Life" but hard to find used as LP on ebay yet fotunately Clint Eastwood used it in his soundtrack for "Bridges Of Madison County" which has a few of the Bee Hive cut's and the rest on "Rembering Madison County"(making Hartman much more known in death than life since eveybody who went to the film asked smarmy opinonated record clercks like me which was his best and of course the Coltrane gig came up A+)
Hartman also had some other fine efforts like "And I thought about you (orginally Roost but put out by Blue Note/Capitol) and a Japanese band led by Terumasa Hino called "For Trane" and another fine outting on Audiophile called "This One's For Teddy".With his good looks and sexy voice he could have been a star but his career was started in the 50's and eneded through lung cancer in 1980.with his overt sensuality well remember how hemmed inthings were for Poitier and Belafonte in their early careers and you see if he came along a little latter Johnny Hartman might have much more recorded than he was.
For a list of his complete discography and a list of other barritones from the lighter (and wonderfull )Bill henderson to pioneer Billy Eckstine and full deep baritones like Joe Williams and Earl Coleman just get a copy mof the jazz lovers bible "The All Music Guide To Jazz" or see thier web site www.amg.com.
Yeah Johnny Hartman.Durring 6 years of running a jazz section at a equipment/CD shop I could get into disagreements about Billie versus Ella,if Mel Torme is/was the male Ella,or if Chet Baker was a great singer though be it with a narrow range NOBODY in the know who wasn't a comlete pinhead said anything other than Hartman was one of the under reccongnized greats.
Chazz |
I always heard great music growing up with my dad, a jazz musician, and this was always one of his favorites and I think my all-time favorite. "Blue Train" is an essential Coltrane album as well as many others. Hartman's catalog is kind of inconsistent and I don't think this recording w/Coltrane was ever matched. Hartman recorded another Impulse album about the same time with Hank Jones, Illinois Jaquet, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Milt Hinton, and Elvin Jones that's pretty good-"I Just Dropped By to Say Hello"-I think it's still available (I have the LP and the CD). Clint Eastwood is a fan of Hartman's and I know he included some of his tunes in movies such as "The Bridges of Madison County". Also check out Joe Williams. |
They don't get much better than that. |
Warren,
Yeah that's a GREAT record, one of my favorites. Try Coltrane's Lush Life as well... sorry no vocals. |
Warren,
I don't know if your into female singers but the Ella sings the DUke Ellignton songbook is a great package (I have the 4 LP box). About half the tunes are small ensemble the others w/Dukes orchestra. Another that I love is Billie Holiday's "Songs for Destingue Lovers". Harry Edison's trumpet, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Red Mitchell on bass and Alvin Stoller on drums..... It's killer. You might like the Louis Armstrong/Duke Ellington sessions as well.... Basically Duke setting in with Satchmo's small band.... It smokes.
Chris |
