John Coltrane-The Believer

Recorded between December 20, 1957 and December 26, 1958, this Prestige release features Coltrane's first involvement with McCoy Tyner, who wrote the title track, but did not play on the set. The band, comprised from a compilation of several dates of this time period, includes Red Garland and Gil Coggins on piano, Paul Chambers and Spanky DeBrest-bass, Louis Hayes, Larry Ritchie and Art Taylor-drums, Ray Draper-Tuba, Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd-trumpet. It was recorded shortly after Blue Train (September, 1957), but only Chambers remains from that Blue Note session. The highlight on this solid outing is the brief five minute interlude at the center of the album with the touching ballad Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful? For all of the commentary on Coltrane’s career, highlighting innovative modal and harmonic development, his soul on the ballad remains incomparable. The utter perfection of this song lies in its simplicity and Coltrane’s understanding of the language of the heart. The young Hubbard's effective solo perfectly melds into the mood Coltrane created. Were I a marriage counselor, I may chose, in certain circumstances, to forgo the traditional attempt at reconciliation and suggest a night of take out and this song. Coltrane had a manner of distilling the essence of romance, leaving consideration of its complexities to another day. Often, the present moment, whether in music or romance, is ultimately what matters.