The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings
John Coltrane · 1995
478 min · 86 tracks · post-bop · free jazz · hard bop
A sprawling collection of Coltrane's innovative explorations blending hard bop with modal jazz intricacies.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic exploration of musical themes
- wave-like pacing for deep listening
- long-form pieces for patient listeners
- alternate takes revealing creative process
- for late-night introspection
Maybe skip if you want
- prefer concise, standalone tracks
- seek instant gratification in music
Where this album fits
- Themes
- modal jazz evolution· spiritual depth· innovative harmonic structures
- Career context
- Released in 1995, this compilation showcases John Coltrane's evolution as a pioneering jazz artist following his passing in 1967. It encompasses his work during the Atlantic Records era, highlighting both iconic tracks and alternate takes that reveal his creative processes. This album serves as a comprehensive retrospective of Coltrane's groundbreaking contributions to jazz.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Pharoah Sanders· Ornette Coleman· Albert Ayler
- Sounds like this from elsewhere
-
Bitches Brew by Miles Davis — Explores similar modal jazz structures with innovative soundscapes and a fusion of genres.Karma by Pharoah Sanders — Shares a spiritual intensity and free jazz exploration, melding improvisation with deep emotional resonance.The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman — Pioneers free jazz with a focus on harmonic freedom and adventurous improvisation, echoing Coltrane's ethos.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 Stairway to the Stars 3:32
- 2 The Late Late Blues 9:36
- 3 Bags & Trane 7:26
- 4 Three Little Words 7:30
- 5 The Night We Called It a Day 4:22
- 6 Be-Bop 8:01
- 7 Blues Legacy 9:04
- 8 Centerpiece 7:09
- 9 Giant Steps (alternate version) 3:44
- 10 Naima (alternate version) 4:31
- 11 Like Sonny (alternate version) 6:03
Disc 2
- 1 Spiral 5:59
- 2 Countdown 2:24
- 3 Countdown (alternate take) 4:34
- 4 Syeeda's Song Flute 7:03
- 5 Syeeda's Song Flute (alternate take) 7:07
- 6 Mr. P.C. 6:59
- 7 Giant Steps 4:46
- 8 Cousin Mary 5:48
- 9 Cousin Mary (alternate take) 5:47
- 10 I'll Wait and Pray 3:34
- 11 I'll Wait and Pray (alternate take) 3:28
- 12 Little Old Lady 4:24
Disc 3
- 1 Like Sonny 5:54
- 2 Harmonique 4:13
- 3 My Shining Hour 4:52
- 4 Naima 4:22
- 5 Some Other Blues 5:36
- 6 Fifth House 4:41
- 7 Cherryco 6:47
- 8 The Blessing 7:53
- 9 Focus on Sanity 12:13
- 10 The Invisible 4:12
- 11 Bemsha Swing 5:04
Disc 4
- 1 Village Blues 5:23
- 2 Village Blues (alternate take) 6:17
- 3 My Favorite Things 13:44
- 4 Central Park West 4:14
- 5 Mr. Syms 5:22
- 6 [Exotica, untitled original] 5:22
- 7 Summertime 11:34
- 8 Body and Soul 5:38
- 9 Body and Soul (alternate take) 5:59
- 10 Mr. Knight 7:31
Disc 5
- 1 Blues to Elvin (alternate take) 11:00
- 2 Blues to Elvin 7:53
- 3 Mr. Day 7:56
- 4 Blues to You (alternate take) 5:35
- 5 Blues to You 6:29
- 6 Blues to Bechet 5:46
- 7 Satellite 5:51
- 8 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye 5:41
- 9 26-2 6:13
- 10 But Not for Me 9:34
Disc 6
- 1 Liberia 6:51
- 2 The Night Has a Thousand Eyes 6:51
- 3 Equinox 8:35
- 4 Ole 18:15
- 5 Dahomey Dance 10:52
- 6 Aisha 7:39
- 7 [To Her Ladyship, original untitled ballad] 8:58
Disc 7
- 1 Giant Steps (take 1) (incomplete) 4:43
- 2 Giant Steps (take 2) (false start) 0:14
- 3 Giant Steps (take 3) (incomplete) 2:51
- 4 Giant Steps (take 4) (incomplete) 1:19
- 5 Giant Steps (take 5) (alternate) 3:40
- 6 Giant Steps (take 6) (false start) 0:32
- 7 Giant Steps (take 7) (incomplete) 4:12
- 8 Naima (take 1) (incomplete) 3:20
- 9 Naima (take 2) (incomplete) 3:24
- 10 Naima (take 4) (false start) 0:15
- 11 Naima (take 5) (alternate) 3:50
- 12 Naima (take 6) (alternate) 3:38
- 13 Like Sonny (rehearsal 1) (false start) 0:09
- 14 Like Sonny (rehearsal 2) (incomplete) 1:34
- 15 Like Sonny (take 1) (false start) 0:19
- 16 Like Sonny (take 2) (incomplete) 3:08
- 17 Like Sonny (take 3) (incomplete) 1:08
- 18 Like Sonny (take 4) (false start) 0:07
- 19 Like Sonny (take 5) (alternate) 8:24
- 20 Like Sonny (take 6) (incomplete) 1:09
- 21 Giant Steps (take 3) (incomplete) 4:06
- 22 Giant Steps (take 6) (alternate) 4:54
- 23 Blues to Elvin (take 2) (false start) 0:10
- 24 Blues to Elvin (take 3) (alternate) 6:02
- 25 Blues to You (take 2) (alternate) 5:30
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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