The studio side of Coltrane’s catalog has greater consistency in terms of caliber of aural pre- sentation, but fewer occasions for extended improvisation and creation. This is particularly evident in an analysis of the recordings made of his Classic Quartet comprising pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. An ensemble that was a work in progress well before it was a finished cohort, Coltrane’s most fertile band was also best suited to the hot house environment of audience-attendant performance. Most commonly clubs, with formal concert and festival stages intermittently included. - Derek Taylor
John Coltrane - tenor & soprano saxophones
McCoy Tyner - piano
Jimmy Garrison - double bass
Elvin Jones - drums
