Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Ascension is the single recording that placed John Coltrane firmly into the avant-garde. Whereas, prior to 1965, Coltrane could be heard playing in an avant vein with stretched-out solos, atonality, and a seemingly free design to the beat, Ascension throws most rules right out the window with complete freedom from the groove and strikingly abrasive sheets of horn interplay. Recorded with three tenors (Trane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp), two altos (Marion Brown, John Tchicai), two trumpet players (Freddie Hubbard, Dewey Johnson), two bassists (Art Davis, Jimmy Garrison), the lone McCoy Tyner on piano, and Elvin Jones on the drums, this large group is both relentless and soulful simultaneously. While there are segments where the ensemble plays discordant and abrasive skronks, these are usually segues into intriguing blues-based solos from each member. The comparison that is immediately realized is Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz of five years previous. However, it should be known that Ascension certainly carries its own weight, and in a strange sense makes Coleman's foray a passive adventure -- mostly due to an updated sonic quality (à la Bob Thiele) and also Trane's greater sense of passionate spiritualism. Timed at around 40 minutes, this can be a difficult listen at first, but with a patient ear and an appreciation for the finer things in life, the reward is a greater understanding of the personal path that the artist was on at that particular time in his development. Coltrane was always on an unceasing mission for personal expansion through the mouthpiece of his horn, but by the time of this recording he had begun to reach the level of "elder statesman" and to find other voices (Shepp, Sanders, and Marion Brown) to propel and expand his sounds and emotions. Therefore, Ascension reflects more of an event rather than just a jazz record and should be sought out by either experienced jazz appreciators or other open-minded listeners, but not by unsuspecting bystanders.
© Sam Samuelson /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
John Coltrane, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Art Davis, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Garrison, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - McCoy Tyner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Pharoah Sanders, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Elvin Jones, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Thiele, Producer - Archie Shepp, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Marion Brown, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - John Tchicai, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Dewey Johnson, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
John Coltrane, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Art Davis, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Garrison, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - McCoy Tyner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Pharoah Sanders, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Elvin Jones, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Thiele, Producer - Archie Shepp, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Marion Brown, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - John Tchicai, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Dewey Johnson, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
John Coltrane, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Art Davis, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Garrison, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - McCoy Tyner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Pharoah Sanders, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Elvin Jones, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Thiele, Producer - Archie Shepp, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Marion Brown, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - John Tchicai, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Dewey Johnson, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
John Coltrane, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Art Davis, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Garrison, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - McCoy Tyner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Pharoah Sanders, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Elvin Jones, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Thiele, Producer - Archie Shepp, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Marion Brown, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - John Tchicai, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Dewey Johnson, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1965 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Ascension is the single recording that placed John Coltrane firmly into the avant-garde. Whereas, prior to 1965, Coltrane could be heard playing in an avant vein with stretched-out solos, atonality, and a seemingly free design to the beat, Ascension throws most rules right out the window with complete freedom from the groove and strikingly abrasive sheets of horn interplay. Recorded with three tenors (Trane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp), two altos (Marion Brown, John Tchicai), two trumpet players (Freddie Hubbard, Dewey Johnson), two bassists (Art Davis, Jimmy Garrison), the lone McCoy Tyner on piano, and Elvin Jones on the drums, this large group is both relentless and soulful simultaneously. While there are segments where the ensemble plays discordant and abrasive skronks, these are usually segues into intriguing blues-based solos from each member. The comparison that is immediately realized is Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz of five years previous. However, it should be known that Ascension certainly carries its own weight, and in a strange sense makes Coleman's foray a passive adventure -- mostly due to an updated sonic quality (à la Bob Thiele) and also Trane's greater sense of passionate spiritualism. Timed at around 40 minutes, this can be a difficult listen at first, but with a patient ear and an appreciation for the finer things in life, the reward is a greater understanding of the personal path that the artist was on at that particular time in his development. Coltrane was always on an unceasing mission for personal expansion through the mouthpiece of his horn, but by the time of this recording he had begun to reach the level of "elder statesman" and to find other voices (Shepp, Sanders, and Marion Brown) to propel and expand his sounds and emotions. Therefore, Ascension reflects more of an event rather than just a jazz record and should be sought out by either experienced jazz appreciators or other open-minded listeners, but not by unsuspecting bystanders.
© Sam Samuelson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 4 track(s)
- Total length: 01:19:15
- Main artists: John Coltrane
- Composer: John Coltrane
- Label: Impulse!
- Genre: Jazz
© 1966 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2016 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.