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John Coltrane: Lush Life

John Coltrane: Lush Life

Analogue Productions  CPRJ 7188 SA

Mono Hybrid

Jazz


John Coltrane (tenor saxophone)
Earl May & Paul Chambers (basses)
Art Taylor, Louis Hayes & Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums)
Red Garland (piano)
Donald Byrd (trumpet)


These SACD jackets feature printed wraps mounted to chipboard shells, producing an authentic, "old school" look and feel. Some people call these "mini LP" jackets.

Here is one of the musical giants of the 20th century, poised on the precipice of greatness. Between the spring of 1957 and the winter of 1958, during which time Lush Life was recorded, the music of tenor saxophonist John Coltrane (1926-1967) was developing in giant steps, thanks in great part to a six-month 1957 stint with Thelonious Monk that had much to do with sharpening Coltrane’s harmonic conception and torrential attack.

Lush Life contains Coltrane’s first recordings as sole leader, his initial date fronting a pianoless trio, and one of his first extended readings of a ballad, Billy Strayhorn’s resplendent title track. We also hear him at the helm of a quartet and quintet, featuring pianist Red Garland, with trumpeter Donald Byrd, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Louis Hayes added to “Lush Life”. Coltrane handles the tune’s delicate complexities with infinite style and finesse.

Coltrane and jazz would never be the same.

Originally released in 1958.

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All
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Recording
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Analogue recording
Tracks
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1. Like Someone In Love
2. I Love You
3. Trane's Slo Blues
4. Lush Life
5. I Hear a Rhapsody
Comments (4)
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Comment by PaulSARenaud - May 25, 2017 (1 of 4)

Have anybody any idea if - and if yes which - differences there are between the various SACD releases of Lush Life (Universal, Analogue Productions, Fantasy, etc.). My understandings is that all these releases are based on the same (remastered) master tapes and all sound identical. Who knows more?

Comment by Kveld-Úlfr - May 29, 2017 (2 of 4)

I don't have the information to answer your question, but, for the record, I'll testify that this Analogue Production edition, which I have, sounds absolutely fantastic. You can go for it with eyes closed -- and ears wide open.
Once back home for lunch today I'll check if there are any information you asked in the liner notes.

Comment by Mark Werlin - May 30, 2017 (3 of 4)

SACDs issued by different labels do not sound identical to other SACDs of the same material, even when the source tape is the same, because different playback decks and electronics are used by the mastering engineers, and those engineers hear the material differently and realize their transfers accordingly.

The Analogue Productions Prestige mono series SACDs, which the label asserts are sourced from the original mono master tapes, sound better than any other digital version I've heard of the same titles. There are a dozen Fantasy SACDs in my collection, including Lush Life, and I don't recommend any of them. If you want Lush Life on SACD, get the Analogue Productions disc rather than the Fantasy version. The Universal Japan is currently OOP and very expensive. The album is only 35 minutes long and far from Coltrane's best work. It was compiled by Prestige from three unrelated sessions and released without Coltrane's approval.

Comment by hiredfox - June 6, 2017 (4 of 4)

What you do notice Mark is that the better the quality of the playback equipment used in a domestic system the less such differences become apparent and the less aware one is of 'house sounds'. The aim in the studio and in the home is the same, to reproduce the closest possible approach to the original sound. The electronics can get in the way and it is the task of equipment engineers in all parts of the chain to minimise such intrusions.

The good news is that better playback equipment wisely chosen can yield more consistent results. It is still very much the case that electronics of the recording chain are vastly superior to the electronics of domestic playback equipment.