A Love Supreme

A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME

”If God had an ipod I would be on his playlist” - John Coltrane, 1965

The more I listen to jazz from being exposed via this site, the more I'm realizing that I just don't really like jazz. I can appreciate the musicianship, but it's just not something I'd choose to listen to.

this might be a technical masterpiece but let's be real, jazz is annoying

Thank god that was short, I couldn't handle much more. Occasionally that was a good bit but then it would be overthrown by someone who fell on the piano or pushed over a bass.

What can be said about this album that hasnt already been said? Its absolutley incredible. Im not a jazz expert, and have only listened to about 4 dozen jazz albums, so I dont understand the music theory of it all, I just know that its an incredible experience to listen to this.

Takes several listens to really get, especially for those not used to jazz. First track gets improvised, demonstrating Coltrane's insane talent as a sax player. Love the "A Love Supreme" underlying the entire track, starting off the song clearly then stepping out of the shadows via Coltrane's vocals at the end. Second track starts taking an intense turn. This becomes a very powerful album, with Coltrane's attempt to play as though God was speaking through their instruments. It gets crazy from time to time, invoking several instances of emotion and power, like the drum solo in the first part and near the end of Pursuance. In fact, the last track Psalm is entirely a consistent preach which goes along to written lyrics spoken through sax. I wish I could explain the theory behind this work and what makes this "modal jazz," but I'll save that for another few years (hopefully). For now, I find this to be an amazing piece of art with wonderful diversity that demonstrate both immense talent and powerful messages that convey deep emotion to the listener.

One of the most important records ever made, John Coltrane's A Love Supreme was his pinnacle studio outing, that at once compiled all of the innovations from his past, spoke to the current of deep spirituality that liberated him from addictions to drugs and alcohol, and glimpsed at the future innovations of his final two and a half years.

Jazz is a lot like England's "golden generation" of footballers. On paper, there's a lot of superstars but in practice, each player seems to be out of sync with each other and playing to their own tune.

I like some jazz and I like some jazz less. This is the type where 3 or 4 musicians appear to get together and do their own thing without any interest or care what the others are doing. Personally I'd rather listen to an orchestra tuning up.

Famous sax player Joshua Redman said 'A Love Supreme is the first jazz album I ever heard, and I really hope it is the last I ever hear.' This is the best piece of jazz music that will ever exist.

It’s Coltrane at his best, in what world was I not going to give this album 5 stars? There have been so many positive reviews written about this album that I’m not sure how much else so have to say but it really is that good. Everybody plays so well together and the solos are perfect. My criteria for a 10 is basically that I don’t think the album could be any better and this album certainly fits that description. Favorite songs: Yes Least favorite songs: No 10/10

An absolute monolith. Gnomic on first hearing, enlightening after multiple.

01) A Love Supreme, pt 1. - Acknowledgement - 3,0 02) A Love Supreme, pt. 2 - Resolution - 2,0 03) A Love Supreme, pt. 3. - Pursuance - 2,0 04) A Love Supreme, pt. 4. - Psalm 3,0 TOTAL: 2,50 (25/100) God I hate jazz! It's like my left ear is fighting with my right one. Every instrument plays it's own tune. I know this is worthy album, but it's a big no for me.

A one-time contender for my favourite jazz album, I've cooled on this over the last couple of years. Not that I think it's anything resembling bad. Frequently funky, surprising and exciting, the closest I can get to laying my finger on the root of my reservations is that those qualities are rarely co-present and that seems like part of the design, which also seems to be deliberately challenging and as a result stops me from getting transported the way Coltrane is. Except when he chants "A love supreme". Despite its simplicity--probably because of it--that always hits me as the most transcendent moment.

Coltrane is a glass of whiskey on the rocks. It’s an early evening smoke on the patio. The second I hear the opening notes I’m transported back to a dinner party with friends. The music can get chaotic and sometimes repetitive, but it’s remains woven into the fabric of our past.

I’m trying. Truly. I’m trying to understand jazz and appreciate it. I know that John Coltrane is a brilliant musician and rightfully revered. But I simply don’t “get” this type of jazz. To me, it just sounds like a cacophony of disparate musicians, and I struggle to find anything resembling a melody to grab on to.

No. 54/1001 Acknowledgement 3/5 Resolution 4/5 Pursuance 3/5 Psalm 4/5 Average: 3,5 Jazz is not my favorite genre. But I can appreciate the incredible musicianship on display here.

4 guys got on stage and just played their own shit for half an hour. If anxiety had a musical sound, it would be this. I'll give it a 1 star bump because of the technical musicianship of the band members and the undeniable influence he had.

John Coltrane, already well-establish as a one of jazz's greats, wanted to go in a different direction after his last album. Leaning more into avant-garde jazz, Coltrane blended elements of faith and religion to create what is effectively a new subgenre of jazz: Spiritual Jazz. More spiritual in form than in substance, A Love Supreme is a piece that honor's Coltrane's relationship with God. It is reflective, passionate, and amazing in it's music. Not only that, but this record would mark a move into free jazz, for both Coltrane and Impulse! Records. Context aside, this is a beautiful jazz record. It's a little weird, but makes up for it in spades with expert use of dynamics and improvisation that only seasoned jazz musicians could follow through on. Excellence had never sounded so good. God bless.

Jazz. Raw, unapologetic, beautiful, soulful, all of those other words that have certainly been said about it over the years, and more. This album is great, and definitely deserves a high spot on this list.

This was a really crisp and musical album. I'm not very well-versed in jazz, but the riffs and solos in the songs were fun and bouncy, all while blending into the chord progressions really beautifully. I hadn't listened to Coltrane before, even though I'd heard his name, so it was a really cool piece of music history to listen to him. I also took the opportunity to read about his life and career and it's so clear that he lived and breathed jazz and his passion for music was the reason his work was so groundbreaking.

No filler anywhere. Just Coltrane pushing a single idea until it burns. It’s the sound of someone who means it. If you only hear one album before you die, make it this one. Then go back and listen again.

Not only a spectacular jazz album, A Love Supreme is a beautiful expression of the relationship between man and God. Coltrane’s saxophone wails and sobs like a sinner yearning to be cleansed.

Spiritual. If you're in the right frame of mind, hard to describe it as anything else.

Couldn't finish. Too much anxiety

Sorry Jazz, you are just not my thing. It’s not you, it’s me.

I like the parts where the music was like doo da doo

Powerful and intricate, I could listen to this 100 times and continue to glean something different each time.

I have a hard time with a lot of jazz albums, but this one just owns it from start to finish. Everything about this album is excellent - from the rhythms to the sound of the recording and of course the songs themselves. I understand why this is a classic.

From the first sound of the gong you are aware that you’re about to witness greatness. Jones’ cymbal washing and later use of timpani is breathtaking, but it is nonetheless Coltrane that stands out as the main character in what can easily be described as his magnum opus. Another milestone by Coltrane that still stands tall almost 60 years later.

Another groundbreaking album and modal jazz classic. This album in four movement takes a more avant garde approach to the form with its experimental rhythms and improvisation. Though less melodic than his work on Kind of Blue, this album is very listenable and has a lot to offer the casual jazz listener. This is one of those albums that rewards multiple listens.

Rare among jazz albums in that I feel like I genuinely get it, I think it's a masterpiece. This might not be considered a ringing endorsement given my general ignorance, but I'll stand by it.

Oh yes. This is sitting in a smoky bar, drinking a whiskey, and watching the band wail onstage. I am about this life.

So much jazz recently! I keep prefacing these reviews with "I'm not the biggest jazz fan. But I can appreciate it." This album is no different. Yeah, I mean, it was pretty good. It's just kind of background music for me at this point. Pleasant but not super engaging. Nothing Earth shattering for me. I feel like I need to listen to it again to process it more, but to be honest I just don't really want to. It feels like blasphemy rating Coltrane 2/5 because the man is a legend and obviously super talented, but it's just not my bag, baby.

I get it, this is classic John Coltrane, supremely sophisticated syncopation, rampant rattling rhythms. It's subversive to the wholesome big bad era that preceded. The jazz aficionados are lined up, looking down their noses, obliging me to rate this a 5. To me this is just jazzy, in the pejorative sense. It's like having an annoying squeaking sound in the car you try to root out and can't find, then you try to ignore it, but it wears out your subconscious mind. It's like cacophonous, chaotic traffic in Kathmandu. I do love horror-infused music, like Skinny Puppy, so maybe I should listen again and reframe it as intentionally terrorizing droning.

I'm not super versed into jazz. I'm a barely casual enjoyer of the popular stuff. I like other Coltrane albums but this feels super weird and erratic for me. With runs going on for a long time to weird places, hitting accidentals that throw my ears off. Everything is purposeful in his album but the language he is speaking in, I'm not fluent in.

I am still trying to get more into jazz. This was an okay listen, and it wasn't necessarily difficult to get through but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it. Still, I appreciate the talent here.

Thoughts before listening: Oh goddamnit. Fucking jazz. It’s so stupid. Thoughts after listening: It's like going to a movie, and instead of dialogue and action and narrative you get five guys all shouting random words at the exact same time. ONE STAR

The thing that makes Coltrane as a jazz guy is his love of pop music. Through all the iterations of his playing career he kept one eye on the great era of American songwriting. My all time favourite record, even over the Fabs, is his record with Johnny Hartman. He follows that with My Favourite Things et al. And then he finds a god of some kind (as they do) and brings all that jazz sensibility/virtuosity together with his pop influences to create this homage. That bass riff and drum part at the start sets the scene perfectly, and he takes off for an album that just flows. Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison do that thing they do so well on all his records, they are the key, their segue to Part 2 is tattooed on my brain. A beautiful piece of music. Believe the hype deadbeats.

A brilliant and timeless jazz record.

10/10

Immersive and kaleidoscopic piece of work - makes me want to be a bigger jazz head - which I will!

Not your normal jazz session. It’s momentous. Fantastic music. Not much else I can say.

Sup

One of the greats

Wow. I've never listened to this, but have always wanted to. What a masterpiece. It is such a beautiful expression of humanity. Always surprising, but in a way that keeps you in the piece. This could be listened to both in the background of a coffee shop and on head phones in the dark. Gorgeous.

Amazing album, fantastic playing, great sound. Still amused by how underwhelmed the singing is after such sparkling music. They sound like they're high schoolers being made to recite something. But hey, it's honest, it's pure, it's amazing.

Monumental. From a simple theme grows jazz played with a sense of spiritual purpose, instilled with passion, intent, and real feeling. You won't find dance hits here, but careful listening will reward those willing to do so.

I had heard this album a few times and, though I was a fan of parts 1 & 4, I found part 3, with its squonky bits and 2 drum solos a little much. However, on re-listen I like the way that the drums set up an awesome McCoy Tyner solo and in general, I love Elvin Jones’ loose and impromptu playing throughout. I’ve had other Coltrane albums on high rotation over the years but I’m glad that 1001 forced me to listen again this one again, with greater concentration. He takes post-bop jazz and makes it feel spiritual. It's a shame he died a couple of years later.

Gilt als Meisterwerk, nicht wegzudenken aus dem Kanon, gottgleich die Verehrung. Tue mich aber seit jeher schwer mit dieser Aufnahme (der Blue Train fährt cooler). An manchen Tagen hat “A Love Supreme“ die Kraft, graue Wolken vor den schmutzigen Fenster hinfort zu blasen. An anderen stellt sich eher ein Gefühl des Aushaltens ein. Das meist permanent hohe Tempo zwingt zum konzentrierten Hinhören, eine Aufgabe, für die es manchmal eine Kraft und Kontemplation braucht, die man aufzubringen nicht immer vermag. Musik als Rechenaufgabe oder Rätsel - faszinierend und (über)fordernd zugleich. Aber im guten Moment das magisch unbeschreibliche Begreifen ohne je eine Note zu kennen. Ehrlich diffuse Gefühle; selten verrückt, wie die Platte je nach subjektiver Empfindung morpht. Aber ein Sturm ist kein Buchhalter, sondern bläst und tobt unverzeihlich, wo und wie er will. Krasse 4.5

Schon oft gehört - aber wohl nie oft genug. Tatsächlich gibt es jedes Mal was neues zu entdecken auf dieser Reise, die noch so harmonisch und konzentriert beginnt, um dann immer stärker am Geschmack der Freiheit zu schnuppern und die Frage zu suchen deren Antwort 42 lautet, sich selbst in der Gleichung auflösen will und schließlich eins wird mit der kosmischen Existenz.

Already listened to it but I will continue to listen to it many, many times

I was working while listening to this, and unlike Black Saint, I wasn't distracted by any obnoxious muted horns, so I'd say I liked this very much. I also love using commas, apparently. 5 stars babeeeeee

This is is, this is the one. This and Kind of Blue. If you had to pick two jazz albums to take with you before jazz disappeared, it’d probably be one of those. It’s truly an achievement in sound, playing, recording, all of it. It’s no wonder this is cited in so many lists. Favorite song: all Least favorite: none

One of the most well-known Jazz records for a reason. It's not my first listen, and it won't be my last. I have not listened to a lot of John Coltrane, but this is a great album.

A love supreme

I was really expecting this to be homework, but I found it really easy to listen to. A few too many bass and drum solos, perhaps, but it is largely fairly succinct and coherent, even for someone not as sophisticated in their jazz appreciation as I am. (Hal understands this better. It seems fairly straightforward to him, I suspect). I can understand the stretches. It's a bit more challenging than wallpaper jazz, but not so free as to be incomprehensible. Would listen again. It probably should be a five star record, and I appreciate the art behind it, but it just isn't really my bag, you know?

Grew on me a ton second listen, Psalm is so beautiful

She coltrane on my john.

Love these style records. I’ve been playing more jazz in general but never sit down and throw on a full record. I think after I finish this full list I might find a best of jazz list as my next project.

As a saxophonist, it almost feels criminal not to give Coltrane 5/5, but even though I am amazed by the techniques and improvisation that I could not dream if doing, Coltrane's style of jazz has never been my favourite. Still 4/5 because I can hear the influence of Coltrane through much other jazz that I do enjoy very much

A beautiful masterpiece. Coltrane's expression in this album is conveyed from every complex section to the most subtle of ditties. Pt. III - Pursuance is a spiritual journey. Jazz is not my forte or most expansive genre, but it doesn't take a trained ear to know Coltrane's magnus opus is musical genius.

Peppy yet mollifying.

I enjoy jazz when accompanied by great food, or good conversations with wonderful friends. I also use it sometimes at work but not typically as my focal point of attention. I enjoyed this album, my least favorite being in part I when they keep vocalizing “a love supreme” and I was hoping this wasn’t a trend to continue. Luckily it wasn’t, I loved part II but I think part III was my favorite with how it started with the drums and had all these sections building.

THIS is the album that's one of the most famous jazz albums of all-time? Often heralded as a masterpiece? THIS? Am I missing something? Like the first three songs are just random vaguely sometimes sounding good saxophone riffing, with constant chunky atonal piano chording. Random bass noises and drumming that isn't that noticeable, but once you clue into it, it's just 8 minutes of 16th notes. I'm just confused. The last song was the only good one. Mighty shame. I like jazz, and have jazz albums at 5 stars and will continue to have some more. This? Not even close to 5 stars. Quite honestly, like it's not offensive. Probably I'd rate it 3 stars but it fell way short of expectations.

Me falta cultura para disfrutarlo de verdad xdd

un muy buen album pero realmente para poder entender cada cancion y como compaginan en lo que quiere decir el album no basta con solo escuchar la musica si no que hay que entender todo el contexto, historia y situaciones que llevaron para que finalmente naciera este disco. Es un jazz poco comun que al escucharlo por primera vez se escuchaba desorganizado y caotico, pero una vez que uno entiende todo lo que hay detras del mismo, todo cae en su sitio. La ultima cancion es la mas soprendente al John Coltrane poder hablar sin palabras y comunicar solo con su instrumento,

this is my favorite album of all time so, as far as the rest of this challenge goes, I guess that means it's all downhill from here! I've been playing the tenor saxophone since I was in sixth grade and, for me, A Love Supreme has represented different things at different points in my journey with the instrument on which both I and John Coltrane found our artistic voices. I started getting interested in jazz in junior high school, and so I thought I would do my due diligence and find some popular jazz albums, just to get a feel for what it could sound like. I figured, where better to go than (what's usually considered) the best album by, arguably, the greatest player of my instrument in all of human history? some of the reviews here are listeners lamenting that their expectations vs. the final product of the album didn't exactly match up. if you're just dipping your toes into the world of jazz like I was, I think that's an understandable reaction; I mean, after all, it's more or less the one I had at first! "was that it? I'm not sure I got it, or even what 'it' is." at the risk of sounding pretentious or elitist, I think A Love Supreme is one of those albums that gets better and better the more context you have for it. there's the context of jazz as a genre generally, which is pretty easy to get through just listening to (and reading about) a lot of it. but there's also the context of Coltrane's artistic trajectory, and the world he lived in as a musician and a human being. from my perspective as a (less skilled) musician, what you have here is four masters of their craft operating at the peak of their abilities. Coltrane's facility as a saxophonist is self-evident, from the intense, rambling face-offs with his rhythm section on "Resolution" and "Pursuance" to the plaintive intensity of his vocal-like performance on "Psalm". but, of course, there's also McCoy Tyner conducting a seance at the piano with his powerful left-hand power chords and ethereal, ambiguous right-hand chord voicings; Elvin Jones playing for his life at nearly every moment, with some particularly intense crashing and bashing at the best moments; and Jimmy Garrison's level-headed bass work acting as the keystone holding the entire thing together. these four musicians are known today as Coltrane's "classic" quartet; they're frequently cited as one of the greatest small groups in the history of jazz, and their performances on A Love Supreme are ample evidence in favor of that distinction. if you've ever tried to play jazz, on any instrument, you know how tricky it can be, and especially how vulnerable it can feel. the four compositions that make up this LP are all very simple at their roots, but to play them (or anything) as fiercely as this band does requires a deep level of awareness, both of one's own performance as well as that of your fellow players. Tyner, Garrison and Jones all played in various incarnations of Coltrane's groups throughout the early sixties, but it was once the four of them truly found each other, on a musical level, that they began to make the albums that would etch them into history as one of The Bands. A Love Supreme is also well-known as Coltrane's ode to his higher power. in the liner notes here, he calls it "God" due to his Christian background, but he was famously interested in a variety of religious traditions. personally, I'm a lapsed Catholic, but the ecstatic feeling I get from playing or listening to jazz at a high intensity level like this is probably the closest thing I have in my life to a religious experience. there's a profound power in this music that words can't really describe. when you listen through Coltrane's albums up to this point, you hear him starting to figure out more about the inner workings of music, then of his instrument, then of himself. listening to that journey play out in music is profoundly moving. if I think about it too long, I might cry! the best. 11/10.

Whether you understand music theory or not and why this works, it’s undeniable how great it is. He’s Jazz royalty for a reason…

I mean yeah of course

Favorite jazz album, favorite jazz song (psalm)

a love supreme

Top 3 albums all time

As Jazz as it gets Loved it.

One of the best to ever do it. Quite simply a masterpiece.

Coltrane - nuff said.

Great Outlaw country album. But i'm biased. Being from El Paso, I have a soft spot for his music.

Such a spectacular album. One of the all time best Jazz recordings.

A love supreme

One of the greatest jazz albums I’ve ever heard. Genuinely the emotions this album generates are so intense and divinely all consuming

A Love Supreme is an act of genius in four parts. John Coltrane’s 1965 masterpiece must surely have a place in any jazz fan’s collection – and is one of the few jazz albums that effortlessly crosses over to mainstream audiences. It’s an extraordinarily accessible collection, but that doesn’t mean it compromises itself in any way. The album is organised into a four-part suite, which ebbs and flows beautifully over 33 minutes. Not being a musician, let alone a jazz musician, I’m not able to go into any technical detail, but it doesn’t really matter as A Love Supreme is ultimately a purely emotional experience – spiritual and truly uplifting – it’s an album that I’ve returned to regularly over the past 30+ years, it’s power to move has never diminished. 10/10

I wish I understood more about jazz so that I could truly appreciate this album. What I do know is that it's perfect.

lowkey chill

yessssss, a bit of jazzz!!! I listened to this while on a beautiful walk in a woods, this made it 10 times more beautiful.

PERFECT

Searching restless exploration that pushes, pulls, and stretch harmony, rhythm, timbre and melody to create an uneasy feeling of dissociation, disjuncture, and disconnection. Music that's full of gaps and anxiously seeking to resolve itself, to cohere, to transcend - finding fleeting moments of joy, of blissful color that, with a the slightest twitch of hue, shifts tone, destabilizing the mood, casting back into the search.

It's just brilliant. It's like Coltrane is wrestling with every question of spirituality he's ever had. I'm sure a robust drug habit helped too. (He had been clean for quite a while by this album. But still, that shit will probably make you question everything)

smooth

10/10

I am an extremely casual jazz fan; this is best illustrated by my not listening to ‘A Love Supreme’ until undertaking this project. It lives up to the hype. The band is locked in, Coltrane gives an unbelievable performance on the sax, and the album overall is tight and exciting. A great example of one of the truly American art forms.

one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of jazz and one of the greatest albums ever made four parts: "Acknowledgement" (which includes the oral chant that gives the album its name), "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm"

Can't get enough of this. Le plus que j'écoute du jazz dans cette liste, meilleur je trouve ça.

went for a nice walk in central park with this!

This was the 2nd jazz cd I purchased after Kind of Blue. Beautiful

Phenomenal Album. One of the best Jazz records ever produced.

Nice

legendary for a reason

Masterpiece.

10/10