Help me understand John Coltrane .... seriously.


Hi Everyone,
Listen I have a favor to ask, and those of you better educated in Jazz can help me.

I always have a tough time listening to John Coltrane. It's like he's talking a different language.
Can any of you point me to recordings I should listen to on Tidal or Quboz or whatever that set me up to better appreciate the man?


Thank you for the musical education.

Best,

E
erik_squires
Erik you mentioned A Love Supreme is a difficult listen. That’s a good thing, because there’s so much there a might take a minute to digest it as a whole, especially if it’s out of context for you relative to whatever your listening experience is.

Bright as you are, which is easy to tell from your posts, that music is going to click into place for you. First time I heard the Stones "Let It Bleed" album my all time favorite rock album, I didn’t even like it, until one day I simply "heard" it. God knows why I didn’t get it the first time around. Now I usually expect any new or challenging music to not sound good the first few times around. I’ll know I’ll be be disappointed later on when the initial pleasure wears off from a record that was enjoyable straight off because it fit a familiar mold.

It’s like the whole language approach to teaching reading or immersion approach to learning a new language, versus the teaching the parts of language and grammar until you grasp the whole. Keep immersing yourself in his best works and you’ll wake up one morning having digested Coltrane while you were sleeping and you’ll enjoy him ever after. You’ll not be able to explain why you can hear him once you do, but you will be able to, guaranteed. It just hasn’t fallen in place for you yet.

Mike


Please listen to "Theme For Ernie", "Body And Soul" and "My Favorite Things" that will make him easy to step into or forgetaboutit. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane "In a sentimental mood" also a singular gem.

John Coltrane for many is quintessential.
I have a friend who is a huge music fan. I was shocked when he told me he hated Miles Davis. Apparently, years ago his uncle, an accomplished Jazz pianist, had given him a copy of "Bitches Brew" to add to his collection of classic rock albums.  Starting Miles with "Bitches Brew" is like introducing someone to rock music with Nine Inch Nails. There is no way they could get it. They would need to start with Elvis, The Beatles, Cream, Led Zeppelin...

I suggested he listen to Kind of Blue and go from there. 
If you are new to discovering Jazz, I suggest starting with Lewis Armstrong, then follow the trail of musicians influenced by him.