Offering: Live at Temple University cover

Offering: Live at Temple University

Recorded
Released

The music John Coltrane made between the beginning of 1965 and his death in July 1967 is some of the most unremitting jazz ever committed to tape. He might play a single piece for an hour, engaging in screaming duels with fellow tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, leaving his band — usually pianist Alice Coltrane, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Rashied Ali, plus guests — to offer support that it didn’t even seem he needed. This concert, from November 1966, features an expanded lineup. Garrison had left the group, and the relatively unknown Sonny Johnson is on bass, but the ensemble is augmented by four percussionists, including a Batá drummer, and two young alto saxophonists, who take one solo each. The endless rumble of the drums gives the music a ritualistic, primal quality that’s only strengthened when, during a 21-minute performance of “Leo,” Coltrane takes the horn out of his mouth and begins pounding his chest and roar-singing into the microphone. The quality is a little rough (it’s a mono recording made with a single microphone, so everyone but Coltrane is a blur in the background), but this is an explosive album, well worth hearing if you think you’re up for it.

Phil Freeman

Suggestions
Eclipse Orange cover

Eclipse Orange

Ran Blake, Claire Ritter
Prospect Hummer cover

Prospect Hummer

Animal Collective
Aihiyo cover

Aihiyo

Aihiyo
Touchin’ on Trane cover

Touchin’ on Trane

Rashied Ali, Charles Gayle, William Parker
Out Of The Darkness cover

Out Of The Darkness

John Law
Antenna cover

Antenna

David Virelles
Actions cover

Actions

Fire! Orchestra
Shaman! cover

Shaman!

Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids
Live in Europe cover

Live in Europe

Fred Hersch Trio
No Home of the Mind cover

No Home of the Mind

Bing & Ruth
Mindset cover

Mindset

The Necks
Temporary Music cover

Temporary Music

Material