Settin' the Pace | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 1961 [1] [2] | |||
Recorded | March 26, 1958 | |||
Studio | Van Gelder (Hackensack) | |||
Genre | Jazz, hard bop | |||
Length | 52:44 | |||
Label | Prestige PRLP 7213 | |||
Producer | Bob Weinstock | |||
John Coltrane chronology | ||||
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Settin' the Pace is an album by jazz musician John Coltrane, released in December 1961 by the Prestige label. [1] [2] It is assembled from previously unissued tracks from a recording session at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958. Coltrane on tenor saxophone is accompanied by Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. With Garland and Chambers, Coltrane had played together since at least October 1955 in Miles Davis' band. With Art Taylor they were part of the Tenor Conclave recordings in September 1956. As a quartet they had already recorded two albums for Prestige, John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio and Soultrane . The material the quartet recorded on this session were extended interpretations of three popular songs and "Little Melonae", a classic bebop tune written by Jackie McLean. Of note is Coltrane's use of the sheets of sound technique, particularly on "Little Melonae".
As Coltrane's profile increased during the 1960s, Prestige released recordings without Coltrane's input or approval. The original mono recordings were not remastered in stereo until 1970 and released on Prestige's "Jazz Classic Series" as Trane's Reign (PRT 7746). Original Jazz Classics reissued the album again in 1983 on LP, then followed by its first digitally remastered CD release in 1987. A technically advanced remastering (XRCD) was produced by Akira Taguchi for JVC in 2008 with an additional bonus track.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz | [6] |
A reviewer for AllMusic wrote: "This is not the fire-breathing saxophonist of the mid-'60s, but a player who was beginning to push against the boundaries, all the while playing with thoughtful, imaginative lyricism... Anyone who likes the mainstream jazz of the '50s, or Miles' music of that time, or Coltrane fans who want to hear their idol in an easygoing context, should pick this up." [3]
The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings stated that, in comparison with Soultrane , Settin' the Pace "is much less venturesome and might easily be mistaken for a second-string selection from the same date." [4]
Justin Gawaziuk of All About Jazz commented: "Settin' the Pace may not be the definitive lyrical album..., but it still ranks close to [Coltrane's] best work. Chronologically, it is key in the development of jazz in the late 1950’s and development of Coltrane as a player. Highly recommended!" [7]
Progrography's Dave Connolly remarked: "The approach on this session seems formulaic: state the theme, cram in about five minutes (or more) of solos and return to the main theme at the end. I'm glad these sessions weren't lost to time, but whether or not you find time for it is a question of how much time in your life you've carved out for Coltrane." [8]
2008 reissue bonus track
Arthur S. Taylor Jr. was an American jazz drummer, who "helped define the sound of modern jazz drumming".
Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is a studio album by the Miles Davis quintet recorded in 1956 and released in March 1958. Two sessions on 11 May 1956 and 26 October in the same year resulted in four albums—this one, Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet and Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet. These four albums are considered to be among the best performances in the whole hard bop subgenre. The album was remastered by Rudy Van Gelder in 2005 for Prestige Records. This album includes dialogue snippets taken from the original master reel. As the title suggests, it also emphasizes Miles Davis' concentrated medium-register ballad playing.
Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is a studio album by the Miles Davis quintet, recorded in 1956 but not released until July or August 1961. Two sessions on May 11, 1956 and October 26 in the same year resulted in an additional three albums: Relaxin' with The Miles Davis Quintet, Workin' with The Miles Davis Quintet and Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet.
Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is a studio album by the Miles Davis quintet recorded in 1956 and released circa January 1960. Two sessions on May 11, 1956, and October 26 in the same year resulted in four albums—this one, Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet and Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet.
Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is an album recorded in 1956 by the Miles Davis Quintet in Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, and released in July 1957. As the musicians had to pay for the studio time, their recordings are practically live. Two sessions on 11 May and 26 October 1956 resulted in four albums — this one, Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet and Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet.
John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio is the third studio album by jazz musician John Coltrane. It was issued in early 1958 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7123. It was recorded at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Whims of Chambers is a jazz album by the bassist Paul Chambers released on the Blue Note label circa January 1957. The album features performances by Chambers with trumpeter Donald Byrd, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Horace Silver and drummer ”Philly” Joe Jones.
Bags & Trane is an album credited to jazz musicians Milt Jackson and John Coltrane, released in 1961 on Atlantic Records, catalogue SD 1368. Taking its title from Jackson and Coltrane's nicknames, it is the only collaborative record by the two, although only Jackson contributed original compositions. In actuality, the album belongs in Jackson's discography, as he was the session leader and still signed to Atlantic under the auspices of the Modern Jazz Quartet, and not in that of Coltrane, who had left the label for Impulse Records at the time of this album's first issue. However, like Prestige Records, as Coltrane's profile grew after he had stopped recording for the label, Atlantic released them with Coltrane's name more prominently displayed.
Soultrane is the fourth studio album by jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1958 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7142. It was recorded at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey, three days after a Columbia Records session for Miles Davis and the Milestones album.
Coltrane is an album by jazz musician John Coltrane which was released in October 1957 by Prestige Records. The recordings took place at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey, and document Coltrane's first session as a leader. It has been reissued at times under the title of The First Trane!.
Lush Life is an album by jazz musician John Coltrane, released in early 1961 on Prestige Records. It was assembled from previously unissued tracks from three recording sessions at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1957 and 1958. As Coltrane's profile increased during the 1960s, some years after the end of his Prestige contract, the label used unissued recordings to create new albums without Coltrane's input or approval.
The Last Trane is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1966 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7378.
The Believer is a jazz album by John Coltrane released in 1964 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7292. It was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1957 and 1958.
The Prestige Recordings is a box set by jazz musician John Coltrane.
Stardust is an album by jazz musician John Coltrane which was released in July 1963 by Prestige Records. It was assembled from two separate sessions at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958.
Interplay for 2 Trumpets and 2 Tenors is a jazz album released in November 1957 by Prestige Records. It is credited to Idrees Sulieman, Webster Young, John Coltrane and Bobby Jaspar, with Mal Waldron, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor.
Tenor Madness is an album by jazz musician Sonny Rollins released in October 1956 by Prestige Records. It is most notable for its title track, the only known recording featuring both Rollins and John Coltrane.
All Mornin' Long is a jazz album by pianist Red Garland, released in April 1958 on the Prestige label. It features only three pieces, which belong to the hard bop subgenre and distinguish themselves by being fast-paced and bluesy. Critic Ira Gitler found the album satisfactory and said that the title piece was a "many-splendored, deep-dish demonstration of feeling, mood and melody".
Miles & Coltrane is a live album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released in 1988 by Columbia Records. The music was recorded at two different shows—one on July 4, 1958, at the Newport Jazz Festival, and one from October 27, 1955, in New York. The tracks have been digitally remastered directly from the original analog tapes.
Taylor's Wailers is the debut album by drummer Art Taylor, released in 1957 on Prestige. It features tracks recorded mainly on February 25, 1957 plus a track from a different session featuring John Coltrane on saxophone.