Is Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album a good place to start with John Coltrane?

Yes, Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album is recommended as a starting point for new John Coltrane listeners. Exploratory and spontaneous, this album captures Coltrane's fearless improvisation in a lush sonic landscape of modal jazz. Released posthumously in 2018, Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album reveals John Coltrane's creative process during the crucial years following his landmark album A Love Supreme. At this point in his career, Coltrane was deeply immersed in experimentation, pushing the boundaries of jazz just before his groundbreaking works like Ascension.

Who is Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album for?

Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album works well if you're into wave-like pacing with dynamic shifts, improvisational journeys of exploration and introspective moments of melodic depth.

How many songs are on Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album?

Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album has 7 tracks, running approximately 47 minutes.

Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album

John Coltrane · 2018

47 min · 7 tracks · jazz

Exploratory and spontaneous, this album captures Coltrane's fearless improvisation in a lush sonic landscape of modal jazz.

Spotify Apple Music

YouTube Music YouTube Deezer Bandcamp SoundCloud

Own it: Amazon eBay

Top tracks — play these first

→
Untitled Original 11383 Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
→
Nature Boy — This rendition transforms the classic tune into an expansive exploration that highlights Coltrane's emotional depth and technical prowess, showcasing his ability to reinterpret familiar melodies.
→
Impressions — The track exemplifies Coltrane’s modal approach, featuring a hypnotic cycle that invites extensive improvisation, revealing the interplay between his saxophone and the ensemble.
→
Slow Blues — This lengthy composition allows Coltrane to delve into raw emotion and storytelling through sound, making it a prime example of his unique voice within jazz.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

76 /100

Alpine

Higher than 98% of albums we've rated

Coltrane's improvisational mastery shines in this posthumous release, balancing structured melodies with free jazz exploration.

What we noticed

The album features two untitled tracks that showcase extended improvisation, with the first lasting over ten minutes and exploring various tonalities.
Coltrane's saxophone leads are often accompanied by a sparse rhythm section, allowing for moments of silence that heighten the tension and release throughout the tracks.
Several tracks, like 'Nature Boy' and 'Impressions', reinterpret familiar melodies through Coltrane's unique modal approach, blending structured themes with free-form exploration.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 9/10
Durability 25% of the score: 7/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 9/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

wave-like pacing with dynamic shifts
improvisational journeys of exploration
introspective moments of melodic depth
late-night reflective listening experience

Maybe skip if you

prefer straightforward song structures
seek immediate gratification in music

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Critical Peak — Captures Coltrane's creative process post-A Love Supreme, showcasing his artistic exploration.
Themes: modal jazz exploration· 1960s spiritual quest· improvisational mastery
Career context: Released posthumously in 2018, Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album reveals John Coltrane's creative process during the crucial years following his landmark album A Love Supreme. At this point in his career, Coltrane was deeply immersed in experimentation, pushing the boundaries of jazz just before his groundbreaking works like Ascension.
Stylistic neighbors: Pharoah Sanders· Ornette Coleman· Albert Ayler