John Coltrane 1960-1964 6CD Box Set (Mono)

Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Giant Steps - Rated 232/500!

Celebrating John Coltrane's centennial with his core legendary Atlantic recordings, many available in mono on CD for the first time. Features original alternate French covers.

John Coltrane: 1960-1964 Mono brings together Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz, My Favorite Things, Olé Coltrane, Coltrane Plays the Blues, and Coltrane's Sound.

Few artists have altered the course of music as profoundly as Coltrane. From his early collaborations with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to his revolutionary work as a bandleader, Coltrane's relentless pursuit of new ideas reshaped jazz. His years at Atlantic captured a creative surge that bridged tradition and transformation and were followed by recordings that revealed a spiritual depth that defined his later work. As his centennial approaches, Coltrane's legacy remains a benchmark for artistic courage and innovation.

Coltrane started sessions for his first Atlantic album right after playing on Davis's masterpiece, Kind of Blue. Released in early 1960, Giant Steps introduced the "Coltrane Changes," a revolutionary approach to chords still studied today. From the tenderness of "Naima" to the hard swing of "Mr. P.C.," the album captures his blend of precision and lyricism. Inducted into the GRAMMY ® Hall of Fame in 2001, Giant Steps is one of jazz's most influential albums.

Building on the innovations of its predecessor, Coltrane Jazz (January 1961) shows him working with greater openness and flow. Featuring the fluid motion of "Like Sonny" and the contemplative phrasing of "Village Blues," it offers early glimpses of the sound Coltrane would soon achieve with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones — the classic quartet that would define the remainder of his Atlantic years.

My Favorite Things (March 1961) marked a major turning point for Coltrane, featuring his debut on soprano saxophone and a modal approach that opened new harmonic and emotional space in his music. His hypnotic interpretation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein title track became an unexpected hit, while standards like "Summertime" and "Every Time We Say Goodbye" showcased the expressive depth of his new quartet.

Drawing on Spanish and North African influences, Coltrane expanded his modal explorations on Olé Coltrane (November 1961). The extended title track, driven by two bassists and highlighted by Eric Dolphy's flute, created a mesmerizing energy that pushed his quartet into new territory. The result was one of his most adventurous Atlantic recordings, bridging the freedom of his later work with the lyricism of this era.

Coltrane Plays the Blues (1962) turns the blues form into a framework for harmonic invention and rhythmic interplay. Each track reveals a different facet of his sound, from the open dialogue of "Blues to Elvin" to the assertive drive of "Mr. Day." Beneath its stripped-down surface lies some of Coltrane's most direct and vital playing of the Atlantic years.

Majestic and deeply expressive, Coltrane's Sound (1964) distills the emotion of this period into six focused performances that balance structure and range. From the brooding power of "Equinox" to the wistful lyricism of "Central Park West," it captures Coltrane refining his voice with renewed clarity and purpose. As Schwartz says in the liner notes, "He wasn't aiming for perfection; he was aiming for truth."