You might wonder where these have been hiding for the last 60 years. The (1) tracks appeared on a few small foreign labels but the sound recording and balance is so bad that major labels probably eschewed them. They sound to be recorded from auditorium speakers. I’m surprised that a quality label like Essential chose to release them.
Where to start? The sleeve-note writer claims that Coltrane composed My Favorite Things, which would make Rodgers and Hammerstein laugh, but not much. All eight tracks are marked as bonus tracks without distinction, so you have to spot Dolphy through the murk to know which are which.
The constant thundering through the first Favorite Things makes it difficult to tell what Coltrane is doing and one can’t distinguish between the two bassists. Tyner comes off best on the (1) tracks and his solos become oases in the flying sand. Eckstine’s I Want To Talk About You is a favourite of mine, so I went to it first. Here it’s harsh and unlovely.
Full horror switches in with the final 21-minute Favorite Things where it sounds like there are several drummers and by now Tyner has lost his clarity. Dolphy’s flute starts attractively but is eventually dragged down. It’s embarrassing for what would probably have been great art to be treated in this way.
Discography
(1) Impressions; Naima; My Favorite Things; (2) Blue Train; I Want To Talk About You; Impressions; My Favorite Things (74.50)
(1) Coltrane (ts, ss); McCoy Tyner (p); Reggie Workman (b); Elvin Jones (d). Newport, July 1961.
(2) as (1) plus Eric Dolphy (as, f). Helsinki, 22 November 1961.
Essential Jazz Classics EJC55767
