John Coltrane (with Red Garland, Paul Chambers & Arthur Taylor) – SoulTrane – Prestige/Mobile Fidelity

by | Jun 30, 2005 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews | 0 comments

John Coltrane (with Red Garland, Paul Chambers & Arthur
Taylor) – SoulTrane – Prestige/Mobile Fidelity mono SACD UDSACD 2020
****:

Not to be outdone by the flurry of mono vinyl reissues that seem to be
issued lately, the SACD is camp is not averse to reissuing a great jazz
classic in mono if it features a name like Coltrane or Miles, and
especially if it’s one of Rudy Van Gelder’s “deep mono” recordings from
the 1950s.  Few unwitting listeners would realize this was a mono
recording – especially with the added details and presence provided by
the transfer to SACD.  It dates from l958, taped in Rudy’s home
studio in Hackensack, New Jersey.  Between the already superb
1/4-inch master tape and the DSD transfer Mobile Fidelity employed a
highly modified open reel deck with new electronics and heads by
Tim  de Paravicini and their Ultradisc UHR Gain 2 transfer
technology to wring the utmost fidelity out of these five tracks. And
good for Mo-Fi clearly labeling the SACD “Monaural” rather than
disguising that information as many reissues do.

Coltrane had the same sidemen for this session that had graced his
previous Prestige LP.  Pianist Red Garland was an original; he had
the ability to swing like mad but seemingly without any effort at all.
The tunes are all off the beaten track, and Coltrane stresses the
melodic in most of his solos, only approaching his more free “sheets of
sound” later improvisations in the last track, Russian Lullaby. 
This album has been a winner since its inception but now it comes
across with a renewed life and naturalness not heard before.

Tracks: Good Bait, I Want Gloto Talk About You, You Say You Care, Theme for Ernie, Russian Lullaby.

– John Henry

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