The artistic prowess of saxophonist John Coltrane was so expansive and influential – even in his own short lifetime, let alone in the decades since his death – that it’s difficult to quantify or differentiate his significance as a leader, a collaborator, a sideman or any other role in the jazz idiom. What’s certain, though, is that some of his most pivotal session work took place on the Prestige label in the 1950s.

Prestige Records is releasing the 3rd and final box set of the John Coltrane series, dedicating the work he did in the mid to late 50s. This set contains 5 CDs, covering 43 of Coltrane’s most popular and notable tracks as a sideman, alongside leaders like Sonny Rollins, Gene Ammons, Red Garland, Tadd Dameron and others. The set is now available in stores and online today, October 6th, 2009.

Read All Your Jazz review of this box set

The John Coltrane Series

Over the past three years, Prestige Records has released boxed sets of Coltrane’s numerous sessions from the mid- to late ’50s, each spotlighting a specific dimension of his tenure with the label. Fearless Leader – released in September 2006, in celebration of Coltrane’s 80th birthday – showcases his recordings as a bandleader. Interplay, released in September 2007, contains Coltrane’s early collaborative recordings with a variety of stellar musicians from the same era.

Side Steps is the third and final set in this series. The 5-CD set captures Coltrane in a supporting role, as a sideman to leaders like Sonny Rollins, Gene Ammons, Red Garland, Tadd Dameron and others. The collection of 43 tracks represents the entirety of Coltrane’s session work as a Prestige sideman, from mid-1956 to early 1958, with the exception of his work with Miles Davis (which is featured in The Miles Davis Quintet: Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions, released in 2006).

In short, Prestige was the place where Coltrane cut his teeth. Nick Phillips – co-producer of the boxed set and Vice President of Jazz and Catalog A&R for Concord Music Group (Prestige’s parent company) – says the following:

“This is where he was really gaining his experience. You can hear him developing his
individual voice in these recordings, already sounding like no one else but John Coltrane,
yet not having fully developed into the John Coltrane who would become one of the
most important and influential artists in the history of jazz.”

Related Posts

1. All Your Jazz Review Of Coltrane’s “Side Steps” Box Set
2. Prestige Records Releases 60th Anniversary Album “The Very Best Of Prestige Records”: A great collection of jazz!
3. John Coltrane
4. John Temmerman Releases New Album: Live In Evanston
5. NEA Jazz Master John Levy Shares His Thoughts In New Book “Strollin’: A Jazz Life Through John Levy’s Personal Lens”