Five-Star Collection... Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane

Kenny Burrell With John Coltrane

Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane

These selections were recorded in 1958 and present Coltrane and Burrell in very good form. The emphasis is on improvisation and not on writing or ensemble blend, though Flanagan's original Trane and Burrell's Lyresto are attractive lines that are enhanced by the guitar-tenor combination.

There is an abundance of fine soloing, but it is best to start with Coltrane's performance.

He was gaining prominence in 1958 but was the subject of much adverse criticism. Listening to him on the first three tracks, we can hear that his ideas are well resolved and his solos have good continuity. On all tracks he gets a groove and swings infectiously. His playing on I Never Knew is quite relaxed.

Why Was I Born?, a Burrell-Coltrane duet, demonstrates that Coltrane has one of the finest tenor saxophone tones — pure and hauntingly beautiful — and can control it superbly. Big Paul, which takes up most of the second side, has an extremely intense Coltrane solo, but despite its length, the tenorist is never at a loss for ideas. That he is able to sustain such a high degree of emotional excitement for chorus after chorus is remarkable.

Flanagan, too, is brilliant. Though his playing has often been praised, he often is taken for granted. This may be because he has recorded with a variety of groups and is not thought of as a member of a particular clique. He probably would have rated much higher in the polls, for instance, if he’d been Miles Davis' regular pianist over the last few years. At any rate, here there are some examples of his lovely playing. He is unceasingly inventive, exhibits a beautiful touch, organizes his solos intelligently—and his rhythm section work is superb.

Burrell offers imaginative and well-sustained solos, his lines clean and flowing, and he gets a pretty sound from his instrument. On Born he accompanies Coltrane nicely.

The rhythm section performs well. Chambers pushes the soloists relentlessly, and his soloing on Big Paul exhibits continuous forcefulness.

All in all, one of the best examples of jazz in the late '50s.

*Harvey Pekar (Down Beat, July 4, 1963 [5 stars])*

For his final Prestige-related session as a sideman, John Coltrane (tenor sax) and Kenny Burrell (guitar) are supported by an all-star cast of Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums), and Tommy Flanagan (piano). This short but sweet gathering cut their teeth on two Flanagan compositions, another two lifted from the Great American Songbook, and a Kenny Burrell original. Flanagan's tunes open and close the album, with the spirited "Freight Trane" getting the platter underway. While not one of Coltrane's most assured performances, he chases the groove right into the hands of Burrell. The guitarist spins sonic gold and seems to inspire similar contributions from Chambers' bowed bass and Coltrane alike. Especially as the participants pass fours (read: four bars) between them at the song's conclusion. The Gus Kahn/Ted Fio Rito standard "I Never Knew" frolics beneath Burrell's nimble fretwork. Once he passes the reins to Coltrane, the differences in their styles are more readily apparent, with Burrell organically emerging while Coltrane sounds comparatively farther out structurally. Much of the same can likewise be associated to Burrell's own "Lyresto", with the two co-leads gracefully trading and incorporating spontaneous ideas. While not as pronounced, the disparity in the way the performance is approached is a study in unifying and complementary contrasts. The delicate "Why Was I Born" is one for the ages as Burrell and Coltrane are captured in a once-in-a-lifetime duet. Together they weave an uncanny and revealing sonic tapestry that captures a pure and focused intimacy. This, thanks in part to the complete restraint of the ensemble, who take the proverbial "pause for the cause" and sit out. What remains is the best argument for the meeting of these two jazz giants. The performance can likewise be located on the various-artists Original Jazz Classics: The Prestige Sampler (1988) and Playboy Jazz After Dark (2002) and is worth checking out, regardless of where one might find it. In many ways the showpiece of the project is Flanagan's nearly quarter-hour "Big Paul." The pianist's lengthy intro establishes a laid-back bop-centric melody with his trademark stylish keyboards perfectly balancing Chambers and Cobb's rock-solid timekeeping. Coltrane's restraint is palpable as he traverses and examines his options with insightful double-time flurries that assert themselves then retreat into the larger extent of his solo. Those interested in charting the saxophonist's progression should make specific note of his work here. *Lindsay Planer*

1 - Freight Trane

(Tommy Flanagan)

2 - I Never Knew

(Fiorito, Kahn)

3 - Lyresto

(Kenny Burrell)

4 - Why Was I Born

(Kern, Hammerstein)

5 - Big Paul

(Tommy Flanagan)

Kenny Burrell (guitar), John Coltrane (tenor sax),

Tommy Flanagan (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums).

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, March 7, 1958