Joe Zawinul - 'Zawinul'

Joe Zawinul was one of the most well regarded jazz pianists/keyboardists in the history of the Jazz.  He was one of the masterminds behind Weather Report and played on classic albums by Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley.

This album is not as well known among his discography, but it deserves to be.  The music is atmospheric and dreamy, with pretty melodies driving most of the songs.  

Joe calls this album:

"Music for two electric pianos, flute, trumpet, soprano saxophone, two contra basses and percussion."

Some people consider this the real first Weather Report album, as two other Weather Report founding members, Wayne Shorter and Miroslav Vitous are on this recording.  Conceptually, and sonically, they have a point.  It is also the link between Weather Report and Miles Davis' keyboard-laden experiments on the album 'In a Silent Way', the song "In a Silent Way" is redone here, in the more complex form in which Joe envisioned it.

With two keyboardists, Joe and Herbie Hancock, the album’s foundation is laid.  Their work is complemented by spacey sound effects created using an Echoplex tape delay effects unit and a ring modulator, which is a sound-sculpting tool.

In the liner notes (included in the freeload), Miles Davis contributes a brief, but generous tribute to Joe:

Zawinul is extending the thoughts that we've both had for years.
And probably the thoughts that most so-called now musicians have not vet been able to express.

P.S. Dig the two drummers and Herbie with the echoplex-and the clear funky black soprano sound—and the setting that Woody has to play in. All these musicians are set up. Joe sets up the musicians so that they have to play like they do, in order to fit the music like they do. In order to fit this music you have to be "Cliché Free.
In order to wnte this type of music, you have to be free inside of yourself and be Josef Zawinul with two beige kids, a black wife, two pianos, from Vienna, a Cancer and "Cliché Free."

Track 1 "Doctor Honoris Causa". 
"Dedicated to Herbie Hancock for his Honorary Doctorate at Grinnel University in Des Moines, Iowa."

 Track 2 "In a Silent Way" which is very different here than the version on the Miles Davis album.  
"Impressions of Joe Zawinul's as a shepherd boy in Austria."

Track 3 "His Last Journey"
"A tone poem reminiscent of his grandfather's funeral on a cold winter day in an Austrian mountain village."
  
Track 4 "Double Image" is a different version of the song that was originally recorded for Miles' 'Bitches Brew', it went unreleased until "The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions" released in 1998.
"A concept of what man thinks he is as opposed to what he really is."

Track 5 "Arrival in New York"
"Joe Zawinul's first impression of New York when he arrived here as a boy on a ship from France."

Joe Zawinul – acoustic and electric piano
Herbie Hancock – electric piano
Hubert Laws – flute
Woody Shaw – trumpet
Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone
Miroslav Vitouš, Walter Booker – bass 
Jack DeJohnette, Billy Hart, David Lee, and Joe Chambers – percussion 

For the freeload, tell us what the weather was like today, where you live.

Jimi Hendrix - 'Axis: Bold As Love' (UHQR Vinyl Rip)

 

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to 1967, a time when expectations were exceptionally high for the follow-up to the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s groundbreaking debut album, 'Are You Experienced'.  Most fans would have been content if Jimi had simply rehashed some of its most radio-ready moments, such as "Purple Haze", "Fire" or "Foxy Lady".

But, Jimi, like all artistic geniuses, resisted the pressure to deliver more of the same.  Instead, in January 1968 (December 1967 in the UK), he released 'Axis: Bold as Love', less than a year after 'Are You Experienced'.  'Axis: Bold As Love' focused on refining his melodies, lyrics, and, with producer Chas Chandler, who helmed the first album, creating a more expansive production.  While the guitar playing and tone were exceptional, they were integrated into song structures rather than being as prominent as on his previous or later sets.

Only one single was released, "Up From the Skies"/"One Rainy Wish", which went nowhere.  However, the material flowed together more organically as a cohesive statement rather than a batch of 45s, as in the previous offering. The album rose to #3 on the American charts and was considered a success, both commercially and artistically.

The dozen songs, excluding an opening two-minute sci-fi piece titled "Exp", span a range of genres, from the funky soul of "Wait Until Tomorrow" to the bubbling jazzy undertones of "Up from the Skies".  "One Rainy Wish" features psychedelic R&B, while "Little Wing" and "Castles Made of Sand" evoke a glistening dreaminess.  The latter, with its groundbreaking backwards guitar solo, is particularly noteworthy.  Dylan-esque lyrics, dramatic, provocative time and tempo changes, and oblique, spoken-word poetry are evident in "If 6 Was 9".  Alongside these elements, the driving rock of "You Got Me Floatin" and "Ain’t No Tellin" contribute to the collection’s forward-looking and genre-breaking nature.

Jimi along with engineer Eddie Kramer and producer Chas Chandler spent countless hours at London's Olympic Studios meticulously constructing and condensing these tracks.  Seven of them don’t exceed the three-minute mark, while only one song, "If 6 Was 9" surpasses the five-minute mark.  Despite their shorter lengths, nothing appears rushed.  Instead, the meticulous overdubbing creates layers of sound, showcasing the thoughtful crafting of each tune.

'Axis: Bold As Love' is by far my favorite Jimi Hendrix album, and the one I reach for most.

Today's freeload is the UHQR (Ultra High Quality Record) released in April 2019 by Analogue Productions on 200 gram vinyl.  This is the stereo version, and was limited to 5000 pressings.  The sonics on this reissue are nothing short of extraordinary.

For the freeload, what are some of your favorite song intros?

Muddy Waters - The Blue Sky Studio Recordings

In August 1975, Chess Records was sold to the All Platinum Records label and became a reissue label only, which left Muddy without a record label.  In 1976, Blues-Rocker Johnny Winter, who idolized Muddy since childhood and who had become a friend, signed Muddy to his label, Blue Sky Records.

From 1977 to 1981 Muddy and Johnny Winter had a fruitful collaboration, which created a new energy in Muddy's career.  He released his critically acclaimed, Grammy winning album 'Hard Again' in 1977, and the next year released one of his most timeless albums, 'I’m Ready'.  For several years Muddy enjoyed a large following of mostly white fans, which the genre’s popularity seemed to shift to, and he toured continuously with Johnny Winter.

Hard Again, 1977

The first thing you hear belting out of the speakers on this record is Muddy’s voice as he begins, "Mannish Boy". "Oooooh, yeah, everything, everything gonna be alright this morning…".  It’s one of the iconic moments in the blues.  This music is loud, brash, and so, well, joyful.  You can tell everybody involved is having a great time, when you hear the band shout back at Muddy in the call and response of the song.  

Muddy and Johnny Winter are on guitar along with Bob Margolin.  Legends Pine Top Perkins is on piano and James Cotton on the harp (alas Little Walter had passed years prior).  Willie "Big Eyes" Smith is pounding the drums and Charles Calmege is on bass.

This is big, old-school Chicago blues. There is not a bad moment here. Muddy revisits some of his older, iconic tracks here, like "Mannish Boy", and also "I Can’t Be Satisfied" (A rare acoustic blues moment here) and "I Want To Be Loved".  They also do some new material, the epic "Bus Driver" and "Deep Down In Florida".  This is simply one of the greatest blues albums of all time.  It was marketed as a "comeback" to proved, Muddy still had it.  As if that was ever in doubt.

I’m Ready, 1978

On 'I'm Ready', Muddy was reunited with a member of his classic, late 40s/early 50s band, Jimmy Rogers on guitar.  'Hard Again' gets all the attention, but I almost like 'I’m Ready' better.  The way Muddy and Jimmy weave together their guitars (much like Keef and Ronnie Wood do on 'Some Girls'), is mesmerizing.  Bob Margolin jumped over to bass.  You throw in Johnny Winters on guitar, and you have a pretty amazing trio of guitars.  

The title track opens things up, and it’s a great version of a Muddy classic.  Muddy not only wrote his own stuff, but he sang a lot of Willie Dixon’s songs, with the great "I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man" included here in a rousing version.  "33 Years" is another stand out blues track.  That good time, happy vibe continued over from the first album.  Muddy and band had found blues gold, and they kept it rolling on this second album of the trio.  This is another must have blues album from Muddy.

King Bee, 1981

After a live album (Muddy "Mississipi' Waters Live", which will be a future post), the group reconvened in the studio for the third and alas the final installment of this trio of superb records.  By this time, Muddy’s health had begun to fail, and he was forced more often than not to cancel his live performances.  His great touring band made most of their money from concerts, so if a show was canceled, they didn’t get paid.  This caused a fallout between Muddy and the band, his manager Scott Cameron, his road manager and guitarist, Brian Bisesi, "roadies" etc. etc.

The big party sound of the first two albums is gone, and Muddy sounds like he’s settled into a sadder, bluesier mood here.  It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just a farewell vibe.  They only managed to bang out part of the album and had to augment it with outtakes from the 'Hard Again' sessions.  But I still think this record is essential listening.  The title track is outstanding, and I love this version of "Champagne and Reefer".  Muddy’s favorite drink was champagne, and his drug of choice was weed, so why not sing about it, I mean, there are worse pastimes.

Today's freeload, is vinyl rips of the above albums.  They are the original release albums with 24bit/96kHz sonics, that sound much better than the CDs do.

For the freeload, what are some of your favorite so-called "comeback" albums?

New Boz Scaggs album - 'detour'

 

I've had this for about a week and a half, and only just got around to listening to it.

This is Boz's third album of standards, "But Beautiful" from 2003 and 2008's "Speak Low" are beautiful recordings of primarily Great American Songbook classics.  However, 'detours' is clearly different. With these earlier recordings, Boz was backed by larger ensembles.  'detours' involves sparse arrangements performed in trio or quartet formats of primarily acoustic piano, guitar, bass & percussion.

'detour' creates a very intimate setting for a late night jazz club vibe.  Goes nice with Elijah Craig 12-year-old Bourbon.

Enjoy!
Link
https://workupload.com/file/9fsAzGfNCCa

Joe Pass:Virtuoso (2025 24bit/192kHz Remaster)

 

'Joe Pass: Virtuoso' was released in December 1973, on Norman Granz's recently founded, Pablo label.  It was jazz guitarist Joe Pass' 10th album, and the first of three 'Virtuoso' recordings.  The album is widely considered his best, and a landmark of Jazz guitar.

The album was recorded on August 28, 1973, at MGM Recording Studios, in LosAngeles, CA, it was produced by Norman Granz, and the recording engineer was Val Valentin.

One track on 'Virtuoso' ("Here's That Rainy Day") sounds electric, while the rest sound of the songs sound acoustic, which was due to an amplifier malfunction.  Joe plays his Gibson ES-175 electric archtop guitar on all tracks. I've heard two stories regarding the malfunction, both from reliable sources.

• One is that, Joe's Polytone amp amplifier stopped working, and rather than stopping the session, Norman Granz kept the tapes rolling, deciding to capture Joe's performance with only a microphone placed in front of his unamplified guitar.
• Another version is that the amp and the guitar were separately miked, and the amplified track was lost, except for "Here's That Rainy Day" which was the first track recorded.

Regardless of whether the amp physically broke or the tracks were lost, the result was the same: the album showcases Joe's incredible skill and improvisational creativity in a stripped-down, acoustic-flavored setting that was not the initial intent.

Joe plays with the complexity of a pianist, making it sound like multiple guitars are being played at once.  Many times, I've played this album, for people unfamiliar with Joe, and they almost always ask, "Who's on the other guitar?".

'Virtuoso' wasn’t just a breakthrough for Joe; it was a game-changer for jazz guitar as a whole.  Before its release, solo jazz guitar albums were rare, and those that did exist often leaned on classical influences or heavily arranged material.  Joe proved that a guitarist could improvise an entire album with the depth and spontaneity of a full band.  This album remains a touchstone for generations of guitarists. 

When released, ‘Virtuoso’ had a crisp and clean sound.  It’s one of those albums that makes you feel like you’re sitting in the room with the artist. Kevin Gray’s 2025 remaster, with 24-bit/192kHz sonics, only enhances this feeling.

For the freeload, tell us about the last thing that malfunctioned on you.

King Crimson - 'Sheltering Skies'

 

Through the years, King Crimson has had various lineups, each with its own distinct musical identity, with Robert Fripp as its only constant.

The 1980s version of King Crimson (pictured above) with Robert Fripp on guitar, returning drummer Bill Bruford, Tony Levin on Chapman stick, bass and vocals, and guitarist/singer/songwriter Adrian Belew  represented the most radical overhaul to date of the group’s approach.  And that’s saying something.

'Sheltering Skies' was recorded on August 27th 1982, at the Amphithéâtre Les Arênes De Fréjus, France, but not released until September 2024.

The album captures the raw energy and innovative sound of King Crimson’s 1980s lineup during their European tour, co-headlining with Roxy Music.  The tour was promoting their albums 'Discipline' from 1981, and 'Beat' from 1982, which was the first King Crimson album recorded with the same band lineup as the album preceding it.  The band’s dynamic stage presence and powerful live renditions of their music are fully highlighted in this recording, featuring classic King Crimson instrumentals such as "Red" and "Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Part Two".

Fun Fact: in 1984 Robert Fripp dissolved King Crimson for the second time, exactly ten years after dissolving the previous group.  Adrian Belew was unaware of this, until he read about it in Musician magazine.

For the freeload, what are some of your favorite personnel changes in rock bands?

Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3

 

There are influential albums, and then there's 'Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3'.

In 1965, musician, author, historian, and producer Samuel Charters enlisted nine of the Chicago’s finest blues artists to record a brief set each for a Vanguard Records sampler.  This compilation aimed to showcase the distinctive electric sound of Chicago Blues.  Artists like Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Jonny Young, Otis Spann, Johnny Shines and Big Walter Horton exemplified this unique style, which featured electric guitars, amplified harmonicas, a rhythm section, and often a piano. All of these artists are featured on the compilation. 

The 'Chicago/The Blues/Today!' trilogy introduced countless listeners to the blues, helping to popularize the genre in the US, the UK, and beyond.  These recordings also influenced a host of up-and-coming rock artists, including The Animals, Eric Clapton, The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, and later, The Allman Brothers Band. I guarantee that all of these artists have these three albums in their collections.

As AllMusic notes: 

"It’s fair to assume that most blues-influenced artists had all three volumes in their respective collections, and the songs on them ended up in the repertoires of everyone from Jimi Hendrix…to Led Zeppelin…to Steppenwolf."

If you're a Blues fan and don't have 'Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3' [Shame on you - Ed], you should have this in your collection.  If you already have them, the freeload is a reissue from 2021, on the Craft label and are Hi-Res 24bit/192kHz files, so they make for a serious upgrade.  You've never heard them sound this good.

I rebought (had it on the original vinyl and also CD)  Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3 on Record Store Day 2021, which were limited edition of 1,800 copies on 180g vinyl.  Included was a card with a link to download the Hi-Res 24bit/192kHz files.

Volume 1
The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band
    
Junior Wells – harmonica, vocals
Buddy Guy – guitar
Jack Myers – bass
Fred Below – drums

01. "Help Me"
02. "It Hurts Me Too"
03. "Messin' with the Kid"
04. "Vietcong Blues""All Night Long"

J. B. Hutto and His Hawks

J. B. Hutto – guitar, vocals
Herman Hassell – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

05. "Going Ahead"
06. "Please Help"
07. "Too Much Alcohol"
08. "Married Woman Blues"
09. "That's the Truth"

Otis Spann's South Side Piano
    
Otis Spann – piano, vocals
S. P. Leary – drums

10. "Marie"
11. "Burning Fire"
12.  "S. P. Blues"
13. "Sometimes I Wonder"
14. "Spann's Stomp"



Volume 2
The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet
    
Jimmy Cotton – harmonica, vocals
James Madison – guitar
Otis Spann – piano
S. P. Leary – drums

01. "Cotton Crop Blues"
02. "The Blues Keep Falling"0
03.  "Love Me or Leave"
04.  "Rocket 88"
05. "West Helena Blues"

The Otis Rush Blues Band

Otis Rush – guitar, vocals
Robert "Sax" Crowder – alto saxophone
Luther Tucker – guitar
Roger Jones – bass
Willie Lion – drums

06. "Everything's Going to Turn Out Alright"
07. "It's a Mean Old World"
08. "I Can't Quit You Baby"
09. "Rock"
10. "It's My Own Fault"

Homesick James and His Dusters
Homesick James – guitar, vocals
Willie Dixon – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums
    
11. "Dust My Broom"
12. "Somebody Been Talkin'"
13. "Set a Date"
14 "So Mean to Me"



Volume 3
Johnny Young's South Side Blues Band

Johnny Young – guitar, mandolin, vocals
Walter Horton – harmonica
Hayes Ware – bass
Elga Edmonds – drums

01. "One More Time"
02. "Kid Man Blues"
03. "My Black Mare"
04. "Stealin' Back"
05. "I Got Mine In Time"
06. "Tighten Up on It"

The Johnny Shines Blues Band
    
Johnny Shines – guitar, vocals
Walter Horton – harmonica
Floyd Jones – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

07. "Dynaflow Blues"
08. "Black Spider Blues"
09. "Layin' Down My Shoes and Clothes"
10. "If I Get Lucky"

Big Walter Horton's Blues Harp Band with Memphis Charlie

Walter Horton – harmonica
"Memphis" Charlie Musselwhite – harmonica
Johnny Shines – guitar
Floyd Jones – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

11. "Rockin' My Boogie"

The Johnny Shines Blues Band

Johnny Shines – guitar, vocals
Walter Horton – harmonica
Floyd Jones – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

12. "Mr. Boweevil"
13. "Hey, Hey"

I've also included in the freeload the excellent liner notes by Ed Ward, from the 2000 CD release.

For the freeload, name some artists/bands that you wish you saw live.

Cecil Taylor – 'Unit Structures'

 

Cecil Taylor, a classically trained pianist, drew significant inspiration from composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen and Béla Bartók, and later incorporated these influences into his music.  His approach to the piano was always ahead of its time, treating it more like percussion.  Photographer and writer Val Wilmer aptly described Taylor’s piano style as "eighty-eight tuned drums".

Cecil Taylor’s 1966 debut album, ‘Unit Structures,’ for Blue Note Records, was a game-changer in the avant-garde/free jazz scene.  Blue Note had never released anything so avant-garde and out there.  It’s atonal free jazz, like abstract impressionism for your ears; imagine a Jackson Pollock painting on vinyl.

'Unit Structures' features Eddie Gale on trumpet, Jimmy Lyons on alto saxophone, Ken McIntyre on alto saxophone, oboe, and bass clarinet, Henry Grimes and Alan Silva on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. 

This music has something so unique and otherworldly about it. The jagged rhythms and abrupt changes create a sound that feels like a hundred songs have been condensed into one.  I particularly appreciate how Cecil allows each player to shine, making it more accessible to casual jazz fans.  While it may not be the easiest music for those unfamiliar with jazz, I highly recommend giving it a chance—you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  

In my eye, 'Unit Structures' is an album that all music fans should listen to at least once.  If you give it a few more listens, it sounds more controlled, and becomes very clear that Cecil and the others are following a "chart" on this absolute beast of a record.

The freeload is a 2014 remaster (24bit/192kHz), so if you already have the album, this makes for a nice upgrade.

For the freeload, what albums took you a few listens before they "clicked"?

The Ramones - The Sire Years (1976 -1981)

Ah, Punk.  By and large, I like the spirit of the genre better than I actually like listening to it.  There are of course exceptions, and the Ramones are one such exception.

So, without further ado, here’s my favorite group of snot-nosed, glue-sniffing, Chinese rock-shooting, and absurdist humorists, from the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, New York City.

'The Sire Years (1976-1981)' is a 6CD boxed set, and was released on the Sire/Rhino label in 2013.  This set has one glaring mistake, track 5 on the 'Leave Home' album, is listed as "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" instead of "Carbona not Glue": the Ramones ode to the practice of inhaling the fumes from household or industrial products to get high. You know, "huffing".

For the freeload, who's your favorite "Peanuts" character?

Jimmy "Duck" Holmes - 'Cypress Grove'

 

78-year-old Jimmy "Duck" Holmes is pretty much the last surviving link to the Bentonia style of blues, which was initially brought to public attention by Skip James.  Bentonia is a town located in Yazoo County, Mississippi.

As a child, Jimmy lived next door to Henry Stuckey (1897-1966), the man credited with pioneering the Bentonia style.  Sadly, Henry Stuckey was never recorded, but he passed on his style to Skip James (1902-1969) and Jack Owens (1904-1997), who further refined the style.  Jack Owens became Jimmy’s mentor, directly influencing his musical journey.

In the 1970s and 80s, ethnomusicologists Alan Lomax and David Evans recorded Jimmy, but it wasn't until 2003 that he released his first album.

Jimmy also owns and operates the oldest juke joint in Mississippi, The Blue Front Cafe (pictured above), which his parents opened in 1948. 

On March 31, 2017, the U.S. Postal Service celebrated the 200th anniversary of Mississippi statehood with the above first class stamp, featuring a photograph of the hands and guitar of Jimmy “Duck” Holmes.

‘Cypress Grove,’ released in October 2019 on the Easy Eye Sound label, received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards.

Produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, the album aimed to introduce Jimmy to a wider audience.  Auerbach, also the founder of the Easy Eye Sound record label, sought to capture the essence of a typical Saturday night at Jimmy’s Blue Front Cafe.

Auerbach invited Jimmy to his Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville for a few days to record 'Cypress Grove.'  The album captures the vibrant atmosphere of the Blue Front Cafe, with Jimmy accompanied by a group of smokin' musicians to join himself and Dan Auerbach on guitars.

The band featured Sam Bacco on drums, the principal percussionist in the Nashville Symphony, with a diverse background in rock, country, pop, and bluegrass sessions.  Eric Deaton, the master of modern Delta and Hill Country blues bass.  Marcus King, a rising roots and rock guitarist.

'Cypress Grove' features a blend of blues standards by legendary artists like Skip James, Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon, as well as Jimmy’s original compositions.  Each note on the album exudes country blues tradition, with Jimmy’s gritty vocals evoking the suffering and joy of generations of Delta bluesmen and their people.  The album’s stark beauty brings the Delta to life, creating a captivating listening experience.

The freeload is a 24bit/48kHz vinyl rip, and a great introduction to Jimmy "Duck" Holmes.

For the freeload, tell us about musical artists or groups, that you feel don't or didn't get the acclaim they should have.

John Coltrane - 'Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings'

 

Born and raised in North Carolina, John Coltrane ("Trane" to friend and fans) moved to Philadelphia after high school and began his career as an alto saxophonist.  Just after World War II, he played with The United States Navy Band.  By the time he joined Dizzy Gillespie’s short-lived bebop big band in the late 1940s, Trane had transitioned to playing tenor saxophone.

In the early 1950s, he spent time with alto saxophonists Earl Bostic and Johnny Hodges.  But, it wasn’t until Miles Davis hired him in 1955 for his first great quintet featuring pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer "Philly Joe" Jones that Trane gained national attention.  Despite the presence of several other tenor saxophonists who could have been a more obvious choice, Miles was drawn to Trane’s unique sound and approach.

The quintet recorded prolifically for the next two years, but Trane’s increasing unreliability due to his heroin addiction led Miles to fire him from the band in 1957.  Returning to Philadelphia, he overcame his heroin addiction and experienced a profound spiritual awakening that profoundly impacted his life and became a central element in his music.

Trane began cutting sides for Bethlehem, Savoy, and Prestige.  A pivotal moment in his development was his long engagement with Thelonious Monk’s quartet at the Five Spot in 1957.  Rejoining Miles' band in 1958, Trane's performances were so intense that Miles often found himself standing back in awe, setting the stage for the events recounted in 'Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings'.

'Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings' is a 5CD set released in 2019 by Craft Recordings.  It features all 37 tracks Trane recorded as a leader or co-leader for Bob Weinstock's Prestige record label, in eight sessions from January to December 1958, and presented in chronological order.

In 1957, just after his only recording for the Blue Note label, 'Blue Train' and before moving to the Atlantic Records label to make his 'Giant Steps' album in 1959, Trane had a very productive 1958, recording as a leader for Prestige records.

The 1958 sessions were all with quartets or quintets that added Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wilbur Harden on trumpet and flugelhorn, or Freddie Hubbard on trumpet.  Sessions included either Louis Hayes, Jimmy Cobb, or Art Taylor on drums.  "Mr. P.C." Paul Chambers plays bass on every track.  All tracks feature Red Garland on piano, except four from the Kenny Burrell session that features Tommy Flanagan.  Trane had a significant musical history with Paul Chambers and Red Garland, which included recording with them on the classics, Cookin', Relaxin’, Workin’ and Steamin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1957.

From all the material recorded in 1958, only one album, 'Soultrane', was released in that year, which is where Ira Gitler famously coined the widely quoted phrase "sheets of sound" in the liner notes.

The year was also a ghost year of delayed expression.  Other material from those eight sessions was released by Prestige between 1961 and 1965 on the albums 'Bahia', 'Black Pearls', 'Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane', 'Settin’ the Pace', 'Standard Coltrane', 'Stardust', 'The Believer', and 'The Last Trane', all without Trane's input or approval.

My assumption is that these albums were held back because Prestige didn’t want to release too much Coltrane at once and because by 1959, Trane had signed with the aforementioned Atlantic Records label.  The move to a new label was pure business.  Bob Weinstock was pushing to handle Tranes’s publishing, so he refused to record originals for the label.  Instead, he turned to the Great American Songbook of the 1930s and 1940s.  When Trane signed with Atlantic Records, the label had the good sense to let him keep his publishing, which meant greater income.  As a result, his Atlantic albums were filled with original material.

Prestige Records released landmark music by Miles Davis, Gene Ammons, Eric Dolphy, Mose Allison, and many other great jazz musicians.  But it didn’t have the budget that other major labels had—no money for rehearsals and no alternate takes.  As such, the new Trane set is a showcase of one-take wonders, capturing the original mono sound, and recorded with classic all-tube gear and custom microphones by engineer Rudy Van Gelder in his parent's home in Hackensack, New Jersey.  The sonic immediacy is perceptible—Rudy has you seated right in front of the band in his parent's living room, and you feel every note.  The sonics on 'Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings' are improved upon, thanks to 24-bit transfers from the original master tapes by Paul Blakemore.

For the freeload, what are some of your favorite years for music?