Search - Ray Draper, John Coltrane :: The Ray Draper Quintet Featuring John Coltrane

Coltrane in a strange setting

12/07/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In a way this is a strange record. In the very late fifties or very early sixties an EP appeared with music from an LP that was to be released much later. The EP presented only one complete song; Under Paris' Skies; the remainder was a number of solos by Coltrane only. This CD contains the same music as the original LP with solos by Coltrane, the pianist and Ray Draper who played the tuba. It cannot be helped but this CD clearly demonstrates what an impossible instrument the tuba is for jazz soloing, and of course makes one understand perfectly well why the recording company chose to release the recorded material on an EP. The piano solos are not much to listen to either. Compared to this somewhat bland music making, the contrast when Coltrane enters the scene is utterly magic - the music immediately lifts to heavenly hights. Coltrane's playing is simply marvellous. In my opinion this CD contains some of the very finest solos Coltrane ever recorded - I personally rank this record highest of all Coltrane records regarding his own performance, and no finer tenor playing can be heard anywhere on record. His solos here are as just as outstanding as the ones on Good Bait (Soultrane), the Giant Steps CD or Blue Train from the Stockholm concert in 1961. His solos on this CD are very fluent, daring, exciting and very, very beautiful. His tone is magnificant. So a five star plus plus plus for Coltrane. No lover of Coltrane music can do without this record. So go and by it for heaven's sake!"

Very good-form a tuba player

06/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Overall this is one of the best cd i have heard. every one in the band is very good. the only bad thing is Draper's tone. it is very spread out, and some times he needs to hit the notes cleaner. Coltrane is very good like always. back up is good to with the good solo everynow and again."