Recorded at the Bimhuis Jazz Club in Amsterdam, those lucky Dutch, on March 30, 2002, the Branford Marsalis Quartet performed an outstanding rendition of A Love Supreme that was so good it would have made John Coltrane proud. This talented quartet, Marsalis on sax, Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums, shows enough reverence and respect to this historic work without getting awed and overwhelmed by it.
Wisely, they don't play a note-for-note recreation. Instead, they play essential moments from the original as a framework, but it's on the solos that the musicians truly soar, making the suite their own. Branford makes this apparent right from his opening notes during "Acknowledgement." The piano, drums and cymbals recreate that lovely sound of a rainy dawn waiting to be pierced by the sunshine of the sax, but Branford doesn't play Coltrane's opening. He's off doing his own thing, playing in the spirit of the piece, but not playing the piece. Then the bass brings it back with that signature phrase: Ba-bum-ba-bum/Ba-bum-ba-bum/A Love Supreme/A Love Supreme.
The visuals on the DVD look great. It was shot on High Definition video and the picture quality is so good that I thought the project was shot film. The director and his camera crew frame their shots well. When someone is soloing, he becomes the camera's main focus. Many close-ups were shot showcasing the musician's hands and fingers work, allowing the viewer to see how the musicians play. The audio is available in Dolby 5.1 Surround or PCM 24 bit / 48 kHz Stereo.
The disc contains extras that explore Coltrane and A Love Supreme. A 30-minute interview with Coltrane's widow Alice provides insights into the man, his music and the album. In another segment, a group of musicians offer their thoughts, including how to play A Love Supreme, the blues' influence on it and its spiritual aspects.
Article comments
1 - Vern Halen
Do you know if this is available on CD without having to buy the DVD? Always loved Trane, esp. 1960 through to the end of the classc quartet, and Branford Marsalis as well. This performance sounds like it would be something right up my alley.
2 - Tom Johnson
I'm pretty sure this is the only edition of this set, VH. It was a two-for-one price deal at my local stores, so you're not paying extra for the DVD, if that's your concern.
3 - Vern Halen
Thankya, sir. I'll be on the lookout for this one.