John Coltrane (1963) [IMPRESSIONS]

From the live album Newport ’63, featuring John Coltrane – tenor saxophone, McCoy Tyner – piano, Jimmy Garrison – bass, and Roy Haynes – drums. Recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival July 7, 1963.

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Some notes about the composition as found on

Composer: John Coltrane

Year: 1961

Origin: First recorded live at The Village Vanguard in 1961.

Style: Typically played as an up tempo swing.

Form: A-A-B-A (32 Bars) [8-8-8-8]
A brief tag ending is often included on the way out revolving around Dmi.

Key: D minor

Harmony/Overview: A modal tune based on the changes of Miles Davis' "So What". Whether a conscious or not, the melody is borrowed from Martin Gould's Pavanne Symphony No. 2.

Recordings: This tune has been recorded hundreds of times and is one of the most popular and well known modal compositions in the repertoire. The first recording comes from a 1961 performance live at the Village Vanguard which was released on Coltrane's 1963 album Impressions. Coltrane would only record this composition in the studio on two separate occasions, the takes of which were released on the posthumous Both Directions at Once. There are many recordings that exist of Coltrane's classic quartet performing this tune live and it continues to be performed by many contemporary musicians.

JGC Top Picks:
John Coltrane, Newport '63, 1963
Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Smokin' at the Half Note, 1965
McCoy Tyner, Infinity, 1995

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