My Favorite Things

Those of you interested in Coltrane who don't know where to begin and are hesistant about Coltrane's free-form albums that began with "A Love Supreme" should start with this album. A beautiful gift to all of us.


Now I BEGIN to understand...   June 19, 2002
William E. Adams (Hobbs, NM USA)
45 out of 46 found this review helpful

When I started liking jazz at 17 (Can it really be 40 years ago?) I avoided Coltrane, because he was into some "free-form" dissonance that was too radical for my ear. I did Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" instead (great) and some Brubeck, some Shearing, Maynard Ferguson, Tito Puente, Modern Jazz Quartet and a little Miles Davis. I never did get around to Coltrane until this week. This album came out when I was in 10th grade, just prior to Mr. Coltrane getting so experimental. I wish I had been wise enough to buy it then, but I am so glad to have it now. Listening to this with earphones is a religious experience. The nearly 14 minutes of "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music" is worth the price of the CD all by itself. That one piece is kind of a text as to the functioning of a jazz quartet, the dissection and expansion of a popular song, the sensuous joy of soprano saxophone. The next song, Cole Porter's "Everytime We Say Goodbye" is less than half as long, but there is room within it for pianist McCoy Tyner to have a lovely solo into my left ear, followed by a great solo bass part by Steve Davis into the right ear, with drummer Elvin Jones doing steady, supportive quiet work throughout, and then Coltrane's sax coming back on the right to restate the main theme. Remarkable sounds. The second half of the record has Coltrane switching to tenor sax for a lengthy uptempo version of "Summertime" that gets better with each minute, but which is quite a departure from the normal way we have always heard the standard from "Porgy and Bess." The last piece, "But Not For Me" is one of my all-time Gershwin favorites. Without the wonderful lyrics, it doesn't have all of its power, but Coltrane, Tyner, Davis and Jones do some amazing things within its framework. All in all, this is what I would consider an American jazz essential recording to own.


Too Elegant for This World.   October 25, 2002
The Groove (Boston, MA)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful

If it weren't for my late father, a passionate lover of jazz, chances are I would never have bothered with John Coltrane--and quite possibly the whole genre altogether. If "A Love Supreme" and "Blue Train" are two of this saxaphonist's best albums, then "My Favorite Things" has to rank a close third. Never before have I heard such a lovely reinterpretation of the classic title song as performed by Coltrane. His warm and inviting sax glides with ease through this 13 minute piece, which is also highlighted by the excellent piano work of McCoy Tyner. The lively "Summertime" is just flat-out perfect and shows Coltrane at his most expressive and skillful, and the bass and drums, from Steve Davis and Elvin Jones respectively, blend nicely into the mix. "My Favorite Things" is a classy and elegant CD that's required listening for anyone who is into jazz and also interested in this incredibly talented saxaphonist.


Coltrane for a Rainy Day   August 23, 2005
M. Allen Greenbaum (California)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I put off buying this heralded album for a while because of a slightly irrational bias towards the title cut. Could even the great John Coltrane rescue the song from "The Sound of Music" that has become a theme song for the insipid and bland? As everybody else already knew, the answer is an emphatic "yes." Coltrane loses none of the joy of the original, and actually increases it. His virtuoso playing reaches new emotional depths, showing that one need not infantilize a song to express pure childlike glee. Although the players give the album a generally unified sound--accessible but experimental, light and joyful yet emotionally dense--I review the cuts individually below. Truly an outstanding album, recommended for jazz newcomers and veterans alike, and probably the best introduction to the post-1950's Coltrane, when the man really began his own "new thing."

My Favorite Things
Pianist McCoy Tyner sets the pace and mood for Coltrane's lead sax. "Trane" gradually modifies the initial theme by varying the tone and note selection. Tyner trades leads on the main motif, and then, after experimenting with differently paced note repetitions, he gives the melody several twists--close to the original, but considerably fresher. Coltrane returns with a stronger, more confident reading, as if he and the band, having paid homage to the familiar, are now free to do their own thing. Coltrane blows long strings of notes, sometimes pinching them (a little like Jackie McClain) and, at other times, cascading the sounds like raindrops. Elvin Jones' tapping drums and Tyner's insistent piano add to this rainfall effect; one wonders whether precipitation is one of their favorite things. Finally, Coltrane finishes with a glorious twisting profusion of notes, spinning around his backing and ending on a tone of celebration and renewal. The playing is not overtly spiritual, but it has a similar effect. Though the song is not at all "difficult," it's definitely a great introduction for the Coltrane initiate.

Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
Over a languorous background that recalls the Bill Evans trio, Coltrane plays this ballad with sensitivity and lyricism. Tyner enters with a truly beautiful solo that emphasizes long strings of notes and superb chord dynamics. I'm really quite taken with the shimmering quality of the piece, another rainy day atmospheric piece that deeply interplays dark and light moods.

Summertime
The band takes a more swinging, bold, and muscular approach. Coltrane reaches upwards with strong, rapid fire phrases, bassist Steve Davis is all over the map, Jones adds boppish drum accents, and Tyner combines his percussive and melodic powers. Coltrane's at the forefront, however, his pure, from-the-gut blowing giving the cut its power and heart. Tyner and JOnes continue in this strong, imaginative manner with superb bop playing. Davis finally has a bass solo, his thoughtful playing bursts with creative impulse (although an appreciation of the bass and repeated listening will yield the greatest rewards). Later, Chambers duos with Jones (sounding like Max Roach, but with fewer pyrotechnics) in an interesting, although not essential section. Coltrane closes the piece with some fierce playing, before leading the song briefly back to the melody.

But Not for Me
This has one of the most original opening riffs of modern jazz; it's like the famous Gillespie opening to "All the Things You Are." Coltrane restates the opening theme with some flat notes and a tone that is both sad and defiant. Overall, it has an unmistakable Coltrane sound, including his rapid, whirling notes. The approach is dissonant yet within harmonically reach of the melody. In other words, he expresses the melody through finding notes that mesh harmonically. At times, the riffs and even the melodic restatement sounds a bit like "A Love Supreme." As always, the rhythm section, especially the driving bass, brilliantly propels the song. During Coltrane's sax journeys, Tyner punctuates the sound percussiony accents. About midway through, he breaks into his own version of the theme, then takes off into a fluid--but hard-hitting and slightly abstract--solo that takes side trips along Coltrane's territory. The outstanding main riff and overall approach appropriately darkens the Gershwin tune, so that the brooding message ("they're singing songs of love, but not for me") is less the playful punning of lyricist Ira Gershwin, and more an acknowledgement and resistance of love's disappointment.

An album you'll play over and over again, with fresh insights and continued enjoyment each time.


Coltrane at his best, vintage spirituality.   August 12, 2002
Mister Hip-Hop (The Land Where Hip-Hop And Jazz Live.)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

John Coltrane was a man who completely turned himself around as both a person and a musician. He matured dramatically through the mid-to-late fifties, getting off drugs, making great music and finding faith in God. My Favorite Things is a great example of Coltrane expressing himself in a totally new way. This album is definitely up there with Giant Steps, Impressions and A Love Supreme. It also shows some of the first hints of his famous quartet, as McCoy Tyner joins for piano and Elvin Jones is on drums. Coltrane also makes some of his first experiments with the soprano saxophone, an instrument he would go on to make all his own. This album, along with releases like Ole` Coltrane and Impressions, opened up completely new doors for Coltrane's musical directions. Ornette Coleman first started playing "free jazz" around 1960, when this album was released, and there is definitely an influence from that style, noticeably in "Summertime" and "But Not For Me", two standards in which are harmonically and rhythmically twisted into free, constantly changing tempos. While many jazz musicians tried this technique and failed, Coltrane handles it with ease. However, the album's most beautiful moments are on the Cole Porter (the same man who wrote "All Of You" and "Love For Sale") ballad "Everytime We Say Goodbye". Here, Coltrane executes brilliant tones of emotion while Tyner backs him up tastefully. The whole feeling of this song is amazing and shows they are first-class musicians. Of course, the album would never be complete without the beautiful classic "My Favorite Things", in which Coltrane does some of his most excellent and creative playing. Tyner takes a long, melodic solo. Perhaps the most impressive part of the title track is the display of improvisational skill. They always know exactly where they are in the melody which makes everything swing smoothly. Coltrane's virtuosic soprano sax statements go perfectly with McCoy's lyrical piano style. This special re-issue also includes two short alternate takes of "My Favorite Things", which are a nice addition to the album. It's nice to hear other versions of the song that were recorded and compare them to the released version. However, the alternates are both extremely short compared to the 13-minute final version. This is some of Coltrane's best work, and should be bought immediately by anyone who enjoys saxophone, abstract jazz, or just Coltrane in general. This album is more than just a classic jazz album. Coltrane adds an artistic side to it, making it almost like a painting. Even on the rare occasions when he makes a mistake, it even helps the music. It's a splatter on the canvas which actually makes the music even better. Coltrane was truly a blessed soul, and this is a classic.