version sound wrote:I’m certainly not comparing it to ALS in importance, but I find it similarly meditative, and it hits me in a very similar way. I’ve been enjoying more jazz lately, but it’s mostly been limited to the big names, the Coltranes (John and Alice), some Miles Davis, some Ornette Coleman. I’m still trying to figure out what I really like beyond Coltrane. I feel like loving Coltrane is like the jazz equivalent of loving the Beatles.
I have two copies of ALS, a ‘70s ABC pressing and a more recent reissue (Erick Labson master). Both are decent, but yeah, I’ve been eyeing that Acoustic Sounds reissue.
It kinda is (same for Miles or Duke or Louis Armstrong), but my real sweet spots aren't just bop or modal or cool jazz (though I like all 3), rather the jazz-funk type stuff of the early '70s along with spiritual/free jazz. Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson cover both areas really well, for example, and both were hugely inspired by Coltrane. It's all part of the same continuum.
Oh and I've been LOVING Alice's record in recent years, too, particularly A Monastic Trio, Ptah the El Douad, and Eternity (my favorite of hers). The newly reissued early '80s private press album with her on synth and vocals is really good, too.
I had an early '70s ABC pressing of ALS that I got at a street sale a long time ago, but it wasn't in the best shape, so I traded it to my local once I got the new Target version and now I have that one and the new press (latter thanks to Impulse/Universal; bought the Target one). If you like ALS as much as you clearly do, you owe it to yourself to hear the Acoustic Sounds press.
For Miles, you can't go wrong with any of it from the '40s to the '70s, but my favorite stuff is the '70s fusion era, particularly On the Corner. I haven't dived into Ornette's stuff that much, but I really dig The Shape of Jazz to Come, This is Our Music, etc.
And despite all the jazz talk, I'm listening to the Rebel Truth 7" right now.
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2021 9:55 am
