Get a better intro/overview
lilaccity | Spokane, WA United States | 05/27/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"First off, I believe that an uninitiated person would get a good impression of Trane's signature sound by listening to "Trane's Blues" through "Naima" in this collection. However, there are a few problems. Even the liner notes state how it is possible to see the Charlie Parker-isms in the first selections. Coupled with shaky sound quality, they do little for any but Coltrane archivists. The live "My Favorite Things" is interesting, but "Ogunde" fades out (probably due to lack of space) after about 1:55 minutes. Even a more worthwhile track like "Trinkle Tinkle" shows Coltrane within the rhythmic and melodic framework of Thelonious Monk. And where is "A Love Supreme"? And although the biographical liner notes are informative, having "60 Minutes"'s Ed Bradley talk about a club date from the 60's, or a poem by Amiri Baraka, shed little light on the artist. Although the studio selections are unshakeable monuments, a beginner would be better off with either the full albums or an overview of studio recordings. A Trane fan who has all of those would be better off with a collection of unreleased recordings."
Great My Favorite Things.
T. Cotter | 08/19/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'm glad I have this set just for the live version of My Favorite Things"
A major disappointment.
T. Cotter | 10/05/1999
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Great packaging and some great music, but all in all a poor effort. Most of the "previously unreleased" recordings are of very poor quality. After hearing them here, I understand why they were never released."