I think I'll continue on the topic of great jazz albums for a couple of days, and today, I'll write about the only recording that the incomparable John Coltrane, as a leader, did with a singer: John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963). Knowing what we do about Coltrane - that he was constantly searching for the essence of music - it's interesting to listen to him in this context, as well as to try to figure out what led him to the experience and what he took from it. His quartet at the time, which included McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass is often considered the greatest small group in jazz history. Their adventurousness and skill is at such a level that listeners can occasionally be overwhelmed with the music's intensity. I haven't met many people that saw the group live (they were around from 1962 to 1965), but one memorable description of the experience stayed with me: Seeing the group at close quarters in a small Montreal club, said a musician acquaintance, was like "standing up in a roller coaster". I didn't doubt it a bit: I've listened to a lot of their music and it's on its own in terms of intensity. (Here's a link to a live version of "My Favorite Things", for a sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PpuR98N40I .)

But today's topic, the album mentioned above, shows a very different side to their playing, as they support Hartman's inspired singing and extrapolate from the melodies. And what melodies they are: "They Say It's Wonderful", "Autumn Serenade", "Dedicated to You", "My One and Only Love", and the byzantine Billy Strayhorn masterpiece, "Lush Life", all songs of extraordinary beauty, were recorded on the first take (!). Only Rodgers and Hart's "You Are Too Beautiful" needed a second. I've always considered it a shame that it was their only recording together, but it could be looked at another way: It couldn't have been topped. And it still hasn't. Here's "Lush Life": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d6_LUDa_Zw .