A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album

by Ashley Kahn, Elvin Jones (Foreword)

Few albums in the canon of popular music have had the influence, resonance, and endurance of John Coltrane's 1965 classic A Love Supreme -a record that proved jazz was a fitting medium for spiritual exploration and for the expression of the sublime. Bringing the same fresh and engaging approach that characterized his critically acclaimed Kind of The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece , Ashley Kahn tells the story of the genesis, creation, and aftermath of this classic recording. Featuring interviews with more than one hundred musicians, producers, friends, and family members; unpublished interviews with Coltrane and bassist Jimmy Garrison; and scores of never-before-seen photographs, A Love Supreme balances biography, cultural context, and musical analysis in a passionate and revealing portrait.

Genres: Music, Jazz, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Art, American

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2002

About the author

Ashley Kahn is an American music historian, journalist, and producer.

Reviews

[B. P. Rinehart · Rating 4 out of 5]

[From September 2012:]
Seeing as how I have finally picked an avatar for this site and it happens to be Coltrane I should review this book I picked up on him long ago that documents the man and the making of one of the greatest musical compositions ever.

I'm not gonna say more beyond recommending that you listen to the album, no matter your musical or spiritual taste. This book is a very good companion to it and really sets you up for better appreciation of it.

[Raymond Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough analysis of an album, a quartet and an era. Amazing cultural and social interconnections, overlaps, and chance encounters of the period. Loved the Psalm poem, and loved that the fourth movement is based on it. The book is due back to the library at the end of the semester. Hope I can find a copy to keep on my shelf at home.

[Joe Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having enjoyed several entries in the "33 ⅓" book series, each dissecting a different album in detail in around a hundred pages or less, I found myself wondering if a near 350-page book on a single album might prove excessive. Having just finished Ashley Kahn's book on John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" however, I'm feeling like I could have read double its length and still be left wanting more.

As is probably the case with most people reading this book, I'm a Coltrane nerd and obviously a fan of the spotlight album; just so I'm not mincing my words, I think it's the most inspiring, well-constructed, socially relevant and spiritually potent album ever made. I'm obviously not alone in these opinions; there's something about its mythos, its legendary status, its position and relevance in Coltrane's musical evolution, its pure, vivid and unrivalled intention, and its life-changing potential that draws people to it analytically as well as musically, spiritually, artistically and historically.

I believe that the enjoyment of any jazz record can be increased with a degree of context, basic awareness of the genre's fundamental form, and an understanding of artistic intent - all of which this book provides in shedloads. Kahn is a familiar, trusted source of knowledge in Trane's world, presenting his extensive research in a collected and relatable manner, building the musical context for the album without venturing too far into theory as to alienate any readers.

The first third focuses on Coltrane's evolution - musically and personally - to the point of 1964. It reveals how the 'classic quartet' was constructed, and how their individuality shaped the direction and substance of the album. Kahn talks about John's life up until the point of recording "A Love Supreme", shedding plenty of new light on a personal history that is already well accounted for. Without the context of Trane's post-heroin spiritual awakening, his personal relationships, his artistic development under Miles and Monk, and his deepening interest in the musics and religions of the world, the album is sold short.

We are then treated to a detailed study of the creation of the album - from its inception at Trane's home though to the studio minutiae of Rudy Van Gelder's microphone placement, Bob Thiele's quiet guidance and contributions as producer, the band's approach to rehearsing, and a breakdown of alternate takes (including the fabled lost session with Archie Shepp and Art Davis augmenting the quartet). Kahn describes each of the four tracks in full, exploring everything from the overarching vision to studio overdubs and the significance of individual solos.

Lastly, the album's impact is accounted for, from contemporary reactions and reviews from critics, fans and musicians, to its now established place in wider historical, sociopolitical and artistic contexts. Whilst the second edition ends with reflections from the surviving musicians on their place in the creation of a classic (and opens with a wonderful foreward from Elvin Jones), I can't help but feel a third, definitive version might be beneficial, now that every member of the quartet has passed on, allowing for an overarching analysis on their complete careers. Otherwise, it's a must read for any Coltrane fan and would, I believe, make for a suitable entry point into the genre of jazz.

[Wu Ming · Rating 5 out of 5]

WM1: "Ondate di pensiero - Vampate di calore - Tutte le vibrazioni - Ogni sentiero conduce a Dio (...) Un pensiero pu� produrre milioni di vibrazioni, e tutte tornano a Dio". Non � la predica di un televangelista, � il brano di una lunga dedica-preghiera, inusuale paratesto per un album jazz che scavalcava il jazz, andava oltre i pur vasti confini della musica afro-americana, abbracciava l'universo e ancora oggi continua a muoversi e andare lontano, sonda lanciata nello spazio che esce dal sistema solare, va a perdersi nel cosmo ma fino all'ultimo invia dati e segnali alla Terra.
Parliamo di A Love Supreme, opera tra le pi� influenti del XX� secolo, album inciso da John Coltrane col suo "quartetto classico" (McCoy Tyner al piano, Jimmy Garrison al contrabbasso, Elvin Jones alla batteria) il 9 dicembre 1964, nello studio di un mago dei suoni quale era Rudy Van Gelder. Un album che contiene mondi, poema sonoro panteista che stupisce a ogni ascolto, parla di una missione, di un percorso accidentato di prove, tribolazioni, verifiche della fede. Il percorso di Trane, i quaranta giorni nel deserto, la disintossicazione dall'eroina. Viaggio iniziatico in quattro tappe: Acknowledgment ("riconoscimento", "presa d'atto"), Resolution ("decisione"), Pursuance ("adempimento", "messa in pratica") e Psalm ("salmo"). Registrazione di un'esperienza pentecostale che sfocia nella xenoglossia, il "parlare in lingue" degli Apostoli toccati dallo Spirito Santo. La musica come lingua universale.
Quando, al termine di un'esibizione, qualcuno si avvicinava a "Trane" e gli diceva: - Sei stato grande! - lui, perenne indagatore, chiedeva - In che senso? - e voleva sapere il perch�. "Se non riesci a spiegare cos'hai sentito di diverso, cosa ti ha colpito, allora non dire niente". Giudicava ozioso parlare di musica ("Parlare di musica � come ballare di architettura", Frank Zappa), si rassegnava a che i dischi avessero note di copertina scritte da giornalisti come Nat Hentoff, rispondeva con cortesia alle loro domande ma non era mai soddisfatto dei risultati, gli sembrava che nessun testo critico cogliesse il nocciolo di verit� del suo esperimento.
Per A Love Supreme, Trane decise di scrivere qualcosa di proprio pugno, a riprova di quanto considerasse importante quella suite e di quale differenza marcasse. Oltre alla dedica in versi, scrisse un testo che iniziava cos�: "Nell'anno 1957 feci esperienza della grazia di Dio, risveglio spirituale che doveva condurmi a una vita pi� ricca, piena e produttiva. A quel tempo, per riconoscenza, chiesi umilmente i mezzi e il privilegio di rendere felici gli altri attraverso la musica". 1957, l'anno del cold turkey, i giorni in cui s'era scrollato di dosso la scimmia, e l'anno del nuovo inizio accanto a Thelonious Monk.
A Love Supreme fu l'ultimo disco di Trane prima del periodo free, rito officiato al chiar di luna nella radura, prima di entrare nella boscaglia armato solo di un sax e in compagnia di pochi amici. Anni di esplorazione, lontano da ogni accampamento, anni di musica senza guinzaglio, incompresa dai critici bianchi. "Anti-jazz", lo chiamavano i vari Ira Gitler e Leonard Feather. E allora anti-jazz sia, a dimostrare che il musicista (nero, in sovrappi�) non � cane alla catena. Altri due anni e mezzo di ascesa ai cieli, meditazioni forsennate che stupirono lo stesso Ravi Shankar, assoli lunghi un'ora, poi la morte per beffa del destino, ma di questo abbiamo parlato altrove.
Oggi la storia di quel rito � raccontata in un libro del giornalista americano Ashley Kahn, A Love Supreme: storia del capolavoro di John Coltrane (Il Saggiatore, 2004, pagg. 261 con 92 illustrazioni , � 29).
Kahn, incursionista d'archivio, aveva gi� ricostruito la storia di un album non meno importante (Kind of Blue: storia e fortuna del capolavoro di Miles Davis, Il Saggiatore, 2003), ma in questo nuovo libro supera se stesso e fa proprio come Coltrane: entra nella musica da direzioni inaspettate, lasciando l'ascoltatore (il lettore) spiazzato per qualche battuta. E', ad esempio, in un paesaggio incongruo livellato impoverito, fra autostrade e shopping malls, che l'autore incontra Alice Coltrane e le conferma la sua intenzione: scrivere la storia di quando suo marito fece un dono a Dio, cio� al mondo, tutta la vicenda di A Love Supreme, dall'ideazione alle sessions di registrazione, dal successo ai premi, dall'influenza immediata a ci� che resta del retaggio musicale e spirituale. La vedova santa gli chiede solo di essere sincero, e sembra l'inizio di una favola, o d'un poema cavalleresco.
Kahn ha intervistato decine di persone, coevi e posteri di "Trane". Amici, colleghi, parenti, epigoni. Musicisti, produttori, giornalisti. Sembra non finire mai la parata degli "eredi" che pagano pegno e rendono omaggio. Kahn raccoglie reperti e li riporta (il libro � ricco di foto e illustrazioni), ci offre trascrizioni di dialoghi finiti su nastro durante le sessions e intanto rintraccia e percorre la genealogia di ogni singolo elemento dell'album, musicale, iconico, paratestuale. Riascolta con noi i dischi precedenti di Trane, ricorda gli inizi di carriera, ricostruisce l'infanzia e riparte da prima ancora: dal blues.
Nell'esperienza musicale afroamericana tutto parte dal blues e torna al blues, prima o poi. Le famosissime quattro note di Acknowledgment, suonate dal basso, cantate, ripetute dal sax su e gi� per le scale... Quello � un frammento di blues, lo si ritrova con variazioni timbriche e di accento - zeppe e incastri a farlo sembrare diverso ma sempre uguale - nel R&B;, nel soul e nel rifferama del rock, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, AC/DC (probabilmente anche il black metal scandinavo, se si riuscissero a distinguere i riff). Lo dimostra Branford Marsalis: intervistato da Kahn, comincia a canticchiare Whole Lotta Love, pian piano sposta l'accento e si ritrova a canticchiare: du-d�m du-d�m... du-d�m du-d�m...
Il libro non parla solo di studi e sale d'incisione, ma anche di concerti dal vivo. Serate nei club, certo, ma pure occasioni particolari come l'esecuzione dal vivo dell'intera suite al festival jazz di Antibes, 26 luglio del '65, o della sola Acknowledgment nel cortile della St. Gregory's School di Crown Heights, Brooklyn, 24 aprile del '66 - ad accompagnare Trane non c'era gi� pi� il "quartetto classico".
Quest'ultimo era energia allo stato puro, temporale di megajoules, faceva correre "il treno" all'impazzata e il fuochista era Elvin Jones (1927-2004, R.I.P.), muscoli da selvaggio di feuilleton, gettava carbone tra le fiamme e sudava, sudava, "sudava tanto che alla fine dei concerti andava in bagno a strizzarsi i pantaloni, e il sudore sgocciolava sul pavimento" (Jimmy Cobb). Che dev'essere stato, vederli dal vivo...
In definitiva, questo libro � un esempio di cosa dovrebbe essere il giornalismo culturale: cronaca, storia, epopea, visione, pellegrinaggio. S�, pellegrinaggio, un pellegrinaggio laico, incamminarsi verso gli avi con rispetto e voglia di capire. Ogni ascolto di A Love Supreme pu� trasformarsi in un viaggio alla Mecca dei panteisti, in un giro in pi� attorno alla Ka'bah della musica, in un sorso alla fonte di Zamzam della libert� espressiva, e tutt'intorno cantano: Du-d�m du-d�m... du-d�m du-d�m... du-d�m du-d�m...
http://www.wumingfoundation.com/italiano/Giap/nandro_gi…

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not a very religious man. It’s hard to be nowadays, when you turn on the news and see the awful things happening in the world that are supposedly done in the name of religion. I mean… That’s not the only issue, but delving into that may not be appropriate for this forum. That being said, as bad as things can get because of people’s religious convictions, I can also appreciate the good that can come out of people because of their religious devotion. Large scale good deeds aside, you need only walk through any museum and see all the different elaborately beautiful paintings of religious scenes, or enter any of the architecturally complex and stunning Gothic cathedrals in France, to see the awe inspiring beauty that can come from divine inspiration… Or you can just listen to John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.

On the surface, it is just another Coltrane album. I don’t think, on that surface level, that people would notice how spiritually infused A Love Supreme is until they crack open the album cover and read Coltrane’s 2 and a half page handwritten prayer to the Almighty. In his “prayer,” he seemed to lean further away from any specific organized religion, and more towards a sense of overall worldly spirituality. I can get behind that. Some say it’s his best album, and most say that it doesn’t come close to Giant Steps or My Favorite Things, but the important thing was that to Coltrane… It was his most important album. I think there is more to say here, but… I shouldn’t be reviewing the album. Let’s talk book.

The book is a companion guide for A Love Supreme. Essentially what you’re reading is a heavily inflated set of liner notes. The liner notes that wouldn’t fit into the CD case. I’m not sure how interesting the book would be for people who are unfamiliar with John Coltrane or just not a fan of his, or with Jazz at all for that matter. For people who are interested, and that do like Coltrane. It is a good portrait of a stage of his life when he needed to right the ship and do something important and meaningful as a sort of redemption for his “darker” years. It provides a brief history leading up to the album, as well as an entertaining and thorough account of getting that album recorded (Which points out an interesting note that most of these legendary jazz albums were typically recorded in 1 day)… Then sums it all up with the fallout from the album and its worldwide importance, and its influence on music and musicians that came after it.

For the super fan (nerd) it is all of the above and more. It is filled with in depth interviews with members of Coltrane’s classic quartet and Coltrane’s contemporaries that watched his evolution before their eyes and has extensive insight from recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Who goes into a detailed accounts of everything from microphone placement and balance to how the vinyl was pressed in his home and the mass production process for release. The author goes into painstaking detail of the solos, the bridges, the different takes… you name it. If it has anything to do with A Love Supreme. It is in this book, and not just as bullet points. So like I said… Kind of a treasure for the super fan, and may even convert the marginal fan.

Not the most eloquently written book. It reads more like the transcript of a documentary film, which… I think may be more appropriate for something like this. It made me actually wish I was watching it as a documentary instead of reading it though. Either way, I enjoyed it. I may not like the album any better than I did before reading the book, but I certainly have a new and better appreciation for it. I may not recommend the book to everyone… But definitely listen to the album. Then you’ll know if you want to read the book.

[Alain Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quintessential read for the Coltrane lovers.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The idea of improvisation is not only central to jazz and the blues, arguably the first truly great American musical expressions, but is also central to the lives of those who originated this great art: the African Americans. Many jazz players can cross over to classical, but not nearly as many classical players have the life experience and/or skill to play jazz. Jazz/Blues evolved out of that great art-making substance called adversity, and no one did it better than John Coltrane. This book is about what many consider his greatest achievement.

The talent involved in creating a record of this caliber is mind-blowing. Just think that the sound you hear on this album was done in one recording session, on one evening, in about 4 hours worth of total time, straight to master (two-track) with no overdubs. Compare that to the typical high-budget pop, rock, indie, hip-hop, or even electronic/dance album that can take months with countless re-takes ,over-dubs, and it only adds to the mystique of this work of art. This is a much a credit to Coltrane's three bandmates as it is to the tenor man himself. Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones completed what was in effect a self-contained unit of one mind derived from the African-American experience, where life demanded improvisation.

A week before I wrote this review, I had the chance to hear Cornel West speak. He describes himself as a "jazz man" a "blues man", a man who faced the adversities of being black. This is the ultimate improvisation, learning how to survive as a member of a historically oppressed minority class in this country. West references Coltrane as one of his great inspirations, as one of those artists that was "a true original" as he describes it.

For many though, " A Love Supreme" was the last palatable serving in the Coltrane canon. Ascension, his other great piece released in 1965 was worlds ahead as far as vision and conception, but was out of reach (and remains out of reach) for many listeners. To some, Ascension had crossed a line into territory that wasn't any definable genre, let alone jazz. But to the discerning listener, it's soon realized that Coltrane was on a search, filled with restlessness that shaped his entire life, including his spirituality. He was reaching for the ultimate expression of honoring those mystical revelations he felt, as anyone who's also felt them can hear in his music. Ascension was just that - another higher level of the expression that he'd worked on his entire career, and that truly culminated in "A Love Supreme".

Author Ashley Kahn captures all of this intricate detail quite well, and even as an agnostic, honors the path of a man who was searching to better express his love of the divine. As some have said about him "if you're looking for popular music, don't listen to Coltrane". Yet the reverence in the music industry for this timeless expression of that which can't be expressed is undeniable. And despite it's relatively low profile, it remains one of the greatest examples of a talented musician who also happened to be at the peak of his art form, his spiritual awareness, and his ability to combine the two with a clarity that results in a masterpiece.

[Bob Elwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-Meaning, Incomplete, Overexhaustive

What I was really looking for in this book was the story arc that I think A Love Supreme itself clearly narrates: a troubled, talented person's spiritual journey to understand the world and disseminate the wisdom he acquires through suffering. Instead, I found the overall product to be a little academic, dry, and prone to uninteresting tangents.

A particular footnote underscores this by including a paragraph on a contentious Yahoo! Groups thread over "tracing the history of jazz musicians writing their own liner notes". I think everyone in that thread would love every bit of this book I found unnecessary.

I've recently read books on Miles and Trane's work together culminating in Kind of Blue, as well as the life of Thelonious Monk. I would rate it between these two (with the first being the best), and similarly removed from its associated source material due to its academic angle.

Maybe the best part of this book, however, is the detailed treatment of Rudy Van Gelder, whose body of work as a recording engineer has recently been celebrated as a result of his passing. It would be great to see a whole book on RVG, and I actually think an academic approach would be most suitable given his varied and technical contributions to both music production in the mid 20th Century and the interpretation of Jazz as a result of those available technologies and their implementations.

Another commendation I will give the author is that the sections that actually describe the recording of the tracks on the album can be read at roughly the same speed as the tracks themselves, which really enhanced the experience. I usually find it hard to appreciate descriptions of instrumental songs without listening to them or having just recently listened to them, so these passages were a treat.

As the somewhat unnecessarily large section detailing covers of songs on A Love Supreme intimates, tackling this almost liturgical work by Coltrane in any format is a near insurmountable task. Like many interviewees who have recorded such covers, the author seems to have taken it on respectfully and with gratitude, knowing it would be impossible to fully do justice to the source material.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amazingly Thorough Biography of an Album

I am always suspicious of critiques of any piece of art, be it Painting, Literature or Music, that parse every stroke or phrase for hidden meanings or events from the Artists childhood that infuse the work.

This book is different. Kahn is so devoted to Coltrane and to this work in particular that he appreciates every note, every chord and every studio moment that John brings to A Love Supreme and every other day in the life and brief career of this Jazz Giant. He does this respectfully but not with the eyes of a worshipper but rather a realistic fan of Jazz and the musicians who created it, warts and all.

The world of the Golden Age of Jazz, the late ‘50’s and ‘60’s, comes alive in the words and music of the Artists, Producers, Engineers that made it happen and their descendants still carrying the torch. It’s not always pretty, often peopled with drug addicts, drunks and troubled men, but it comes across as real and the music it gave rise to as real and important.

I have to admit: this is My Music. No other before or since resonates with me as deeply. So I appreciated Kahn’s phrase by phrase analysis of the Piece. Every chord, note, drum beat is described with the context that shaped it. And his words are backed up by the musicians themselves, their fans, followers and critics, so it’s not just one man’s opinion.

This analysis is not painful to endure. I punctuated each description with listening to the recording and following along, as well as a layman could, making the experience of sound and printed word even more enjoyable. I recommend this approach to any future reader. But, however you do it, if you like Coltrane’s Music and well written biography, I heartily recommend this Five Star book.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I want to discover a method so that if I want it to rain, it will start immediately to rain. If one of my friends is ill, I'd like to play a certain song and he’ll be cured. When he’d be broke, I’d bring out a different song, and immediately he’d get all the money he needed. But what these pieces are, and what is the road to attain the knowledge of them, that I don’t know. The true powers of music are still unknown. To be able to control them must be, I believe, the goal of every musician” (193). - John Coltrane

This is a beautiful tribute to the album, to Coltrane, and to the classic quartet. Khan balances academic descriptions with emotional responses to the music and its milieu. We’re incredibly lucky to have archival accounts alongside contemporary reflections from key people. Nearly every page contains quotations from people like Jimmy Garrison, Mccoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Alice and Ravi Coltrane, Bob Thiele, Sonny Rollins, and even Miles Davis. Of course, equally valuable are the extensive quotes from Coltrane himself, selected from myriad interviews and writings. This book is so extensive, it’s hard to imagine anyone, even hardcore Trane Heads (I count myself!), not to come away with new insights and leads.

[Adam Rodenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kahn does a fantastic job of interviewing all of the people involved in making this classic album. I actually ended up putting this album on after reading through the book and could genuinely hear a great deal of the things discussed without knowing much music theory. To be that close to the music was, personally, a really fantastic result of the text inside.

And while it's good to know some music theory for certain parts of the book, it's really more of an exaltation of Coltrane's ideas and passion coming together into what most people consider his musical offering up to God, a thank you of sorts for his creative gifts. A really fantastic read if only for the lives it delves into and the whys of the album.

[DJ Yossarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This account is very detailed, very well written, and contains a ton of photos and interviews. Kahn puts "A Love Supreme" in (music) historical context as well. I probably listened to the album about 30 times while reading this book, and thanks to Kahn's scholarship, I hear new things all the time. Of course it's such an amazing piece of music that I'd probably get new things out of it anyway, but Kahn's book is a worthy companion to a world class album.

[ajp3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

my cuz got me this for a bday or xmas present a few years ago. I read it immediately and liked it immensely. it is very well researched and fun to read, especially if you're a big fan and know all the players on the sessions. it goes together perfectly with the deluxe edition of the album, which has all the alternate (read: art davis) takes.

[P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started it, I naively thought it was maybe too specific, but when I got into it I realized all the lessons the author and Coltrane were teaching me. Lessons about Coltrane's music, about the '60s, the whole jazz world and above all, this book introduced me to "A love supreme". Coltrane's soul reverberates through his masterpiece.

[Chris Soper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? The making of my favorite album of all time. Well written, great photos, great interviews. Captured the context of the album and what it meant to people when it came out. If anyone has a copy, let me know. I cut all the pictures out of mine!

[doug bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly. compelling work that recounts the creation and recording of Coltrane's spiritual masterpiece. In doing so, Kahn explains Coltrane's importance in jazz history and journey Coltrane took to achieve a close relationship with some Higher Power

[Soren Murdock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. A wonderful and informative book. In-depth in its subject matter and a good looking tome.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most interesting books ever written about a seminal recording that should be in every library’s music section.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. Have avoided getting much into John Coltrane for most of my life just because, I don't know, why not save some things for a later I guess. At least as far as the guy described in this book goes, it seems like he ruled. I think a few more investigations into musical devices and how Coltrane intended them to work with his vision would have been interesting, even if probably too speculative. A lot is made early on in the book of a mythical couple of day-long woodshedding meditations that Coltrane spent on this composition, but by the time we get into the recording of the album, it seems like it's sort of business as usual, creatively. Which is fine, of course it's one of a thousand evenings those four have popped into a room and started playing together. There just seems to be a missing link between composition/intent/execution.

Still a great book though, and great to read about his last year, near the top of his fame, playing community centers and Brooklyn playground fundraisers and learning how to embrace his dual role as "paid his dues" elder statesman and musical revolutionary. Coltrane's career has always been a weird one to approach from the outside because of the distinct eras of his career, which are a bit tough to identify without a bit of study. Glad I've finally started digging in.

[Shea Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

he is not jesus, though he has the same initials.

despite the impressive journalistic detail this is making no real attempt to de-mythologise the album or anything, but it does paint coltrane in such a warm, human light. i got so much out of this book, only zoning out temporarily during the some of the in-depth recounting of record label mergers. while reading i would listen to the album and get even more chills - now i can't hear it as anything but an incredibly spiritual work, basically a transcendent experience for me every time now. makes me wanna read some more of the 33 1/3 series because it turns out I love reading about the making of albums!

[Clarence Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I am composer and performer of "sophisticated" Folk, Pop, et ceterra, much of the language spoken by Jazz and Classical musicians when it comes to music theory is waaaaaayyy beyond me. That being said, it's a shame that every monumental LP of the Twentieth Century doesn't have a book about its recording process - no matter how heavy and arduous it might be to read. Impossibly, reading about the recording of one of the greatest LPs ever made me appreciate it and the ethereal genius of John Coltrane even more.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

"... [music] is a reflection of the universe, like having life in miniature."

---

"... your humanity is your instrument."

---

"He always showed appreciation for what was not always just about himself, his story, but he liked hearing other people's expression, and how you would interpret this idea, how do you respond to these chords. I thought it made him even greater, because truthfully, he has never criticized any musician, no matter what his field was."

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into Coltrane's world during the period leading up to and through the recording of A Love Supreme. Dig it.

[Kevin Krein · Rating 3 out of 5]

for a book about 'a love supreme,' this spends very little time actually talking about the music found within the album itself, and i suppose i thought that was what this book was about. for 220-ish pages, ashley kahn crafts a narrative that gives a truncated biography of john coltrane, and his work leading up to the recording of 'a love supreme,' as well as his incredibly polarizing and experimental efforts following its release.

the layout of this book was rather perplexing; oversized, the text takes up only a portion of the very large pages, and throughout, there are breakout sections that serve as asides from the actual text. combining history with both subjective and objective 'music journalism,' kahn relies too heavily on pull quotes that are presented in bold from interviews to propel the story forward.

informative, yes, but the book as a whole is rather clunky and falls back into cliche a number of times throughout.

[Richard Magahiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A love letter to the seminal jazz recording of the 1960s, which I first picked up in college. The author describes the characters of all the important contributors to the December 9, 1964 session in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, along with quotes describing its influence, speculations about Coltrane's thinking before, during, and after the period, insider views of the recording industry, and a breakdown of what happens in each of the four movements of the piece. Besides the music, he delves also into the spiritual aspects stemming from Coltrane's recovery from addiction and return to a place familiar to him from his early childhood. Though the music is among the great accomplishments of the century, I think this book does not add to it anything really essential except maybe for a non-fan who wants to know what the fuss about the album was about.

[Jack Castillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the 52nd anniversary coming up for this famous jazz recording, I thought I would dig deeper into the history behind it, since it has given me innumerable hours of listening pleasure. This was a good read and I know a lot more now about John Coltrane and also about the famous quartet of Garrison, Jones and Tyner. I've seen both McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones perform several times and thoroughly enjoy their music; I’ve also attended a workshop with Elvin Jones where he spoke very fondly of this music and John Coltrane so it was very easy to relate to the back stories presented by the author. If you’re a jazz aficionado like myself, I highly recommend the book and also listening to “A Love Supreme” between chapters.

[Will McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashley Kahn's second book about a famous jazz album (he's also written one about Kind of Blue) dives into John Coltrane's most enduring album, the musicians who played it, and the career that led to it (and how that same career was affected by it). Due in no small part to the spiritual nature of the album itself, this book frequently speaks of the music (and Trane in particular) in reverent tones, with lots and lots of interviews with jazz musicians, producers, engineers, and other important figures involved with or affected by this album. For the major jazz fan, this book is a very entertaining and informative look at this album, although if you're not familiar with the music or the personalities, I imagine you'd get a lot less out of it.

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and enjoyable. I was hoping for more about JC's process and ideas behind the album but I'm not sure that information exists but for accounts. The accounts and quotes of his bandmates and family featured here are outstanding, by the way. The beginning of the book is mostly a bio leading up to the title album which I could have just skimmed. The book goes into detail on the actual production of the album which I wasn't expecting but was a fun read. My favorite part may have been the chapter(s?) going into his short time after A Love Supreme was released.

[Kurishin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's much more here than the making of the album. I feel as if I got to know Coltrane's life, muscianship, relations with his band, etc., much better from consuming this book. Lots of interviews and tremendous research done to complete this work. Kahn avoids Coltrane's rumored LSD use and it's potential impact on his untimely death. I'm strecthing the theme with that comment. This is a great jazz book.

[Robert S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Love Supreme is one of the greatest pieces of music ever created, a masterpiece that transcends the genre of jazz and in doing so creates a place for John Coltrane in the place of history for the eternity of time.

Kahn's contribution here is a history of Coltrane as much as it is of the album itself, although there is a focus on the creative process of the album.

Definitely listen to the album if you haven't already once or twice and then give this a read.