that entire 90s 'impulse reissue series' is a mixed bag, both in terms of manufacturing QC and mastering. some records sound acceptable (at best) while others are truly terrible. your money would be much better spent on an original pressing in any case. ...particularly since the best way I can describe the album in question is life-changing.
Just saw a new vinyl reissue of Alice's Impulse album, "A Monastic Trio", which was her first solo album after John's death. I started back to thinking of how I discovered Alice... I first discovered Alice Coltrane on Laura Nyro’s “Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat” album. At the time, I recall reading of a concert that Laura played with Alice and some other jazz musicians sitting in. Around that time, I remember seeing Alice’s album “Journey In Satchidanada” in the local record store, and I would pick it up and look at it, and put it back. Finally, one day I must have had an extra $5.00 (I think the album might have been $3.99 or $4.99) and I picked it up. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it – I think I was probably about 13 then and had never been exposed to jazz. For some reason, though, through the years of selling albums, I always kept that album. It wasn’t until many years later, that I played it again and I remembered it just like I heard it the first time and it “clicked”! I bought her other Impulse albums, and especially liked “Lord Of Lords” and the gorgeous orchestrations. Except for “Eternity”, I must admit I was disappointed with her Warner Bros. recordings, as I especially like her harp and piano playing – the organ was not one of my favorite instruments, and it seemed to feature heavily on most of those (and especially on the double-live LP, "Transfiguration", which I could never get through!). I also was disappointed with her final Verve album, since there was no harp playing on it whatsoever. I seem to recall that Alice had been working on a follow-up to that, but nothing has ever come out. Any other fans of Alice around these parts?
Well, you dredged up a nearly eight-year-old thread, so who knows if the original posters are still hanging around. The only recording I have in her name is Ptah, the El Daoud. It's a pretty strong recording and the head of the title track is really thick with sax goodness (and having Ron Carter on bass never seems to hurt, does it?). I'm not Pharoah Sanders' #1 fan, but he's in a good place on this recording to me. Alice's harp work is also quite original and prominent on Blue Nile.
Ptah the El Daoud and Journey are the best, but all the Impulse releases are great! I may be wrong but I think they've all been released domestically, it used to be some were only available in Japan...
I found a few old threads and thought I'd bring one forward to get some conversation going about Alice and her works! It seems that there must be some new appreciation for her work as I've seen a few vinyl reissues recently: "A Monastic Trio", "Journey In Satchidananda", "Eternity" and "Transfiguration".
I just picked up Ptah El Daoud recently and Illuminations. I started with Journey In Satchidananda, which is cosmic bliss. I'm surprised to see my favorite hasn't been mentioned yet - World Galaxy, which starts with this gem: I'm curious about the sound quality of the new A Monastic Trio reissue. I saw it at my local shop yesterday and didn't recognize the label (it wasn't impulse) but wanted to find a review first- there wasn't any hype sticker indicating the source or mastering info.
Btw, Alice's nephew didn't fall too far from the tree, IMO. Flying Lotus creates really spacey electronic beat driven music: ^oops... this is the intro to THIS>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkA1L6jcv78
I agree. I love those two "early" albums and they sound wicked on Impulse vinyl. Her last studio album before her death was also outstanding IMO.
I bought this today. There's a logo for Universal Music Special Markets and a Superior Viaduct logo as well. There are no indications as to cutting/pressing in the runout groove. No info on their website either: http://www.superiorviaduct.com/collections/featured/products/alice-coltrane-a-monastic-trio-lp It sounds nice. I have nothing else to compare it to though, since this is the first time I've heard this particular album.
It looks like Superior Viaduct are set to reissue "Universal Consciousness" on vinyl on May 12, 2015: http://www.superiorviaduct.com/coll...cts/alice-coltrane-universal-consciousness-lp
You may also like to check McCoy Tyner's LPs from that time period where he is the leader-I believe one title(i can't check now) Journey to the Nile? Great stuff.
I think the album is called Extensions (1970) and the track is 'Message From The Nile'. Excellent stuff indeed.
There were a couple of Impulse 2fer reissues put out of her stuff about 4 years ago. & I think things like Ptah and Journey were reissued in the mid 90s because i think i got at least one of them when i was still living in Dublin. Could be getting that confused with being a bit later and me picking them up on a trip over there. I haven't really explored her later stuff or at least outside of Eternity which turned up cheap in a Japanese version in HMV last year. But do love her rippling thing. She sounds like a more light fingered Cecil Taylor on some of the stuff with husband John. Very spidery. But yeah do love her, and Pharaoh Sanders, Larry Young, earl;y 70s Herbie Hancock etc.
Yes!! One of my favorite albums of any genre... Run and pick it up immediately!! You will not be sorry.
Wish I could help in regards to sq of the latest reissue. My '97 Impulse US vinyl reissue is very good. Superb album, everyone needs some AC in their life.
