Ascension (Remastered) John Coltrane

• 1 Ascension (Edition I / Pt. 1) 19:00
• 2 Ascension (Edition I / Pt. 2) 19:42
• 3 Ascension (Edition II / Pt. 1) 18:57
• 4 Ascension (Edition II / Pt. 2) 21:38
• Total Runtime 01:19:17

Info for Ascension (Remastered)

John Coltrane is joined by Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Hubbard and four other horn players for an explosion of fiery solos and free improvisation on this famous 1965 session. For thirty-five years Ascension has stood as a monument - either as John Coltrane's supreme, ecstatic statement of his musical liberation from chord changes or as his abandonment of all jazz tradition. Here he has reached the summit.

Although the influence of other musicians is evident in his music, it stands apart, now as then, from everything else in jazz. It is of unprecedented force and feeling.

„Ascension is the single recording that placed John Coltrane firmly into the avant-garde. Whereas, prior to 1965, Coltrane could be heard playing in an avant vein with stretched-out solos, atonality, and a seemingly free design to the beat, Ascension throws most rules right out the window with complete freedom from the groove and strikingly abrasive sheets of horn interplay. Recorded with three tenors (Trane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp), two altos (Marion Brown, John Tchicai), two trumpet players (Freddie Hubbard, Dewey Johnson), two bassists (Art Davis, Jimmy Garrison), the lone McCoy Tyner on piano, and Elvin Jones on the drums, this large group is both relentless and soulful simultaneously. While there are segments where the ensemble plays discordant and abrasive skronks, these are usually segues into intriguing blues-based solos from each member. The comparison that is immediately realized is Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz of five years previous. However, it should be known that Ascension certainly carries its own weight, and in a strange sense makes Coleman's foray a passive adventure -- mostly due to an updated sonic quality (à la Bob Thiele) and also Trane's greater sense of passionate spiritualism. Timed at around 40 minutes, this can be a difficult listen at first, but with a patient ear and an appreciation for the finer things in life, the reward is a greater understanding of the personal path that the artist was on at that particular time in his development. Coltrane was always on an unceasing mission for personal expansion through the mouthpiece of his horn, but by the time of this recording he had begun to reach the level of 'elder statesman' and to find other voices (Shepp, Sanders, and Marion Brown) to propel and expand his sounds and emotions. Therefore, Ascension reflects more of an event rather than just a jazz record and should be sought out by either experienced jazz appreciators or other open-minded listeners, but not by unsuspecting bystanders.“ (Sam Samuelson, AMG)

Freddie Hubbard, trumpet
Dewey Johnson, trumpet
Marion Brown, alto saxophone
John Tchicai, alto saxophone
John Coltrane, tenor saxophone
Pharoah Sanders, tenor saxophone
Archie Shepp, tenor saxophone
McCoy Tyner, piano
Art Davis, bass
Jimmy Garrison, bass
Elvin Jones, drums

Recorded June 28, 1965 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Produced by Bob Thiele

Digitally remastered

No biography found.

This album contains no booklet.