John Coltrane Quartet at Birdland – Afro Blue
Personnel: John Coltrane (soprano sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass), Elvin Jones (drums)
from the album ‘COLTRANE LIVE AT BIRDLAND’ (Impulse! Records)
Song
Afro-Blue (Live At Birdland Jazzclub, New York City, NY, 10/8/1963)
Artist
John Coltrane
Licensed to YouTube by
UMG (on behalf of GRP); LatinAutorPerf, LatinAutor – PeerMusic, BMG Rights Management (US), LLC, Sony ATV Publishing, Audiam (Publishing), ARESA, Abramus Digital, CMRRA, Warner Chappell, and 7 Music Rights Societies
Afro Blue for you
Here are the featured tracks from this article available today on Amazon Digital Music, (Naima, My Favorite Things, and Afro Blue). Simply click on a selection below, (your choice). When you click on a selection below you will be transported to Amazon to either safely and securely make the purchase or browse freely for another selection. Clicking on the selection below does in no way add to your cart or obligate you to a purchase. The buying decision is your own, utilizing the familiar safe and secure Amazon portal.
John Coltrane Afro Blue
I heard Afro Blue for the first time when the choreography for the Dayton Dance Company ADF performance featured this track at Stewart Theatre back in 1996. I was mesmerized by the dancer’s hypnotic synchronized movement to this Afro Blue Coltrane track. Such an incredible tour de force the way it builds momentum, from a very subtle intro, middle, and crescendo (inspirational)!
The second John Coltrane track is My Favorite Things, a cover by Coltrane on soprano sax, where he fluidly demonstrates his melodic mastery. Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” is the track I return to whenever the creative juices are flowing. I find listening to this track aids the creative process. There are so many Coltrane tracks worthy of multiple listenings at different times in one life. Giant Steps is a clear fan favorite. My Three favorite tracks, in no particular order, are featured here for you. (Afro Blue, My Favorite Things, and Naima).
One more aside: For many years, I kept a very large, dry-mounted print of the Blue Train album cover image in my music study room. The grainy B&W image of John Coltrane wetting a reed with his Tenor sax in his lap. A giant influence on me and so many others who played saxophone after hearing a master like Coltrane plays the tenor or soprano. I practiced Alto Sax etudes while Coltrane’s image and discerning presence hovered prominently “in the room.”
