Search - John Coltrane, Milt Jackson :: Bags & Trane (Mcup)

Coltrane & Jackson - two Jazz masters

S J Buck | Kent, UK | 12/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An unusual album from Milt Jackson and John Coltrane who you wouldn't expect to be playing with each other. Recorded in 1959 this was made just before 'Giant Steps', but its completely different from that classic album.



With Jackson alongside Coltrane the whole album takes a much more bluesy turn especially when Jackson is playing, and indeed there a couple of blues tracks on the album. So when you hear Jackson on these tracks its the same Jackson who played with the MJQ and made a number of great albums with Oscar Peterson. However, Coltrane was pushing the boundaries at this stage, so the contrast between his solo on say 'The Late Late Blues' and Jackson's is quite dramatic.



The supporting cast is, as you would expect top notch. On drums is Connie Kay, Bass is Paul Chambers and Piano is Hank Jones.



My favourite track is 'Be-Bop', a Dizzy Gillespie tune taken at a frightningly fast tempo, on which Jackson swings through his solo with amazing panache and Coltrane (obviously in practise for things to come) just blasts through the chord sequence like it was a 12 bar (which its not).



A great album that improves everytime you listen to it."

Pleasantly Surprised By How Interesting This Is

Talking Wall | Queen Creek, AZ | 02/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I picked this up largely on the reviews out here on Amazon. I was sort of skeptical as I am so partial to Trane's recordings with Elvin on drums. I figured this would be good but wouldn't grab me like the stuff with his quartet. But I liked Miles with Milt Jackson on Bag's Groove so I had a go. This is really great stuff. My favorite cuts are "Bags and Trane" and "Be-Bop" The playing isn't way out there but it isn't as conservative as I thought it might be either. If you are a Trane fan and like his Atlantic stuff then you will definitely like this."