ART BLAKEY AND HIS JAZZ MESSENGERS - Chippin' In (1990-2015) Timeless Jazz Master Collection / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

35 years after first officially forming The Jazz Messengers, drummer Art Blakey entered his final year still at it. Due to the many promising young players around at the time, Blakey expanded The Messengers from its usual quintet or sextet into a septet for this fine recording session. In addition to trumpeter Brian Lynch, pianist Geoff Keezer and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, this version of The Messengers had two tenors (Javon Jackson and Dale Barlow) and a pair of alternating trombonists (Frank Lacy and Steve Davis). Quite typically, other than Wayne Shorter's obscure "Hammerhead" and two standards, all of the material on this CD was new and composed by Blakey's sidemen. Because Blakey constantly persuaded his musicians to write music, The Jazz Messengers stayed young in spirit, just like its leader. A fine effort. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:

1 Brain Stormin' 6:31 

Geoff Keezer
2 Byrdflight 6:18
Brian Lynch
3 Hammer Head 6:50
Wayne Shorter
4 Aquarius Rising 5:26
Frank Lacy
5 Kay Pea 5:58
Javon Jackson
6 Chippin' In 9:56
Brian Lynch
7 Raincheck 5:34
Billy Strayhorn
8 Chandek's Den 6:20
Brian Lynch
9 Kenji's Walk 8:57
Art Blakey
10 Love Walked In 08:16
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Credits:
Acoustic Bass – Essiet Essiet
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Geoff Keezer
Tenor Saxophone – Dale Barlow, Javon Jackson
Trombone – Frank Lacy, Steve Davis
Trumpet – Brian Lynch

JOHN COLTRANE - Coltrane Jazz (1960-2006) RM / ATLANTIC 60th / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first album to hit the shelves after Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz was largely recorded in late 1959, although one of the eight songs ("Village Blues") was done in late 1960. On everything save the aforementioned "Village Blues," Coltrane used the Miles Davis rhythm section of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb. While not the groundbreaker that Giant Steps was, Coltrane Jazz was a good consolidation of his gains as he prepared to launch into his peak years of the 1960s. There are three standards aboard, but the group reaches their peak on Coltrane's original material, particularly "Harmonique" with its melodic leaps and upper-register saxophone strains and the winding, slightly Eastern-flavored principal riffs of "Like Sonny," dedicated to Sonny Rollins. The moody "Village Blues" features the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Steve Davis on bass; with the substitution of Jimmy Garrison on bass, that personnel would play on Coltrane's most influential and beloved 1960s albums. [Some reissues add four bonus tracks: alternate takes of "Like Sonny" and "I'll Wait and Pray" that were first issued on Alternate Takes and alternate takes of "Like Sonny" and "Village Blues" that came out on the Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings box.] by Richie Unterberger  
Tracklist:

1 Little Old Lady 4:30

Composed By – Hoagy Carmichael, Stanley Adams 
2 Village Blues 5:25
Composed By – John Coltrane
3 My Shining Hour 4:55
Composed By – Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen
4 Fifth House 4:42
Composed By – John Coltrane
5 Harmonique 4:15
Composed By – John Coltrane
6 Like Sonny 5:56
Composed By – John Coltrane
7 I'll Wait And Pray 3:37
Composed By – George Treadwell, Jerry Valentine
8 Some Other Blues 5:40
Composed By – John Coltrane
- Bonus Tracks -
9 Like Sonny (Alternate Take) 6:08
Composed By – John Coltrane
10 I'll Wait And Pray (Alternate Take) 3:30
Composed By – George Treadwell, Jerry Valentine
11 Like Sonny (Alternate Take 5) 8:16
Composed By – John Coltrane
12 Village Blues (Alternate Take) 6:18
Composed By – John Coltrane
Credits:

Bass – Paul Chambers (tracks: 1, 3 to 11), Steve Davis (tracks: 2, 12)

Composed By – John Coltrane (tracks: 2, 4 to 6)
Drums – Elvin Jones (tracks: 2, 12), Jimmy Cobb (tracks: 1, 3 to 8, 10), Lex Humphries (tracks: 9, 11)
Piano – Cedar Walton (tracks: 9, 11), McCoy Tyner (tracks: 2, 12), Wynton Kelly (tracks: 1, 3 to 8, 10)
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane

JOHN COLTRANE - My Favorite Things (1961-2006) RM | ATLANTIC 60th | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although seemingly impossible to comprehend, this landmark jazz date made in 1960 was recorded in less than three days. All the more remarkable is that the same sessions which yielded My Favorite Things would also inform a majority of the albums Coltrane Plays the Blues, Coltrane's Sound, and Coltrane Legacy. It is easy to understand the appeal that these sides continue to hold. The unforced, practically casual soloing styles of the assembled quartet -- which includes Coltrane (soprano/tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Steve Davis (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums) -- allow for tastefully executed passages à la the Miles Davis Quintet, a trait Coltrane no doubt honed during his tenure in that band. Each track of this album is a joy to revisit. The ultimate listenability may reside in this quartet's capacity to not be overwhelmed by the soloist. Likewise, they are able to push the grooves along surreptitiously and unfettered. For instance, the support that the trio -- most notably Tyner -- gives to Coltrane on the title track winds the melody in and around itself. However, instead of becoming entangled and directionless, these musical sidebars simultaneously define the direction the song is taking. As a soloist, the definitive soprano sax runs during the Cole Porter standard "Everytime We Say Goodbye" and tenor solos on "But Not for Me" easily establish Coltrane as a pioneer of both instruments. Lindsay Planer  
Tracklist:
1 My Favorite Things 13:41
Written-By – Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein
2 Everytime We Say Goodbye 5:39
Written-By – Cole Porter
3 Summertime 11:31
Written-By – Du Bose Heyward, George Gershwin
4 But Not For Me 9:35
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
- Bonus Tracks -
5 My Favorite Things Part 1 (Single Version) 2:47
Written-By – Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein
6 My Favorite Things Part 2 (Single Version) 3:03
Written-By – Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein 
Credits:
Bass – Steve Davis
Drums – Elvin Jones
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Soprano Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 1, 2)
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 3, 4)

JOHN COLTRANE - Coltrane Plays The Blues (1962-2006) RM / ATLANTIC 60th / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Coltrane's sessions for Atlantic in late October 1960 were prolific, yielding the material for My Favorite Things, Coltrane Plays the Blues, and Coltrane's Sound. My Favorite Things was destined to be the most remembered and influential of these, and while Coltrane Plays the Blues is not as renowned or daring in material, it is still a powerful session. As for the phrase "plays the blues" in the title, that's not an indicator that the tunes are conventional blues (they aren't). It's more indicative of a bluesy sensibility, whether he is playing muscular saxophone or, on "Blues to Bechet" and "Mr. Syms," the more unusual sounding (at the time) soprano sax. Elvin Jones, who hadn't been in Coltrane's band long, really busts out on the quicker numbers, such as "Blues to You" and "Mr. Day." [Some reissues add five bonus tracks: two alternates apiece of "Blues to Elvin" and "Blues to You," and "Untitled Original (Exotica)." All three were recorded on October 24, 1960. Also, a two-CD Expanded Edition released in 2017 included 13 bonus tracks recorded between 1957 and 1960, featuring the aforementioned Jones, pianist McCoy Tyner and bassist Steve Davis (both also heard on the original Plays the Blues album), as well as such additional jazz luminaries as Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Gene Ammons, Cecil Payne, Pepper Adams, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Red Garland, Mal Waldron, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor.] by Richie Unterberger  
Tracklist:
1 Blues to Elvin 7:52
Elvin Jones
2 Blues to Bechet 5:46
John Coltrane
3 Blues to You 6:30
John Coltrane

4 Mr. Day 7:55

John Coltrane

5 Mr. Syms 5:22

John Coltrane

6 Mr. Knight 7:39

John Coltrane

- Bonus Tracks -

7 Untitled Original (Exotica) 5:26
8 Blues To Elvin (Alternate Take 1) 11:02
9 Blues To Elvin (Alternate Take 3) 5:56
10 Blues To You (Alternate Take 1) 5:37
11 Blues To You (Alternate Take 2) 5:30
Credits:
Bass – Steve Davis (tracks: 1 to 6)
Drums – Elvin Jones (tracks: 1 to 6)
Piano – McCoy Tyner (tracks: 1 to 4 to 6)
Soprano Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 2, 5)
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 1, 3 to 4, 6)
Written-By – Elvin Jones (tracks: 1, 8, 9), John Coltrane (tracks: 2 to 7, 10, 11)