Ancestor Worship 70: Giant Steps

We’re continuing our investigation into the music of John Coltrane recorded for Atlantic Records during 1959-61 with a program exploring Trane’s preparations for recording his landmark Giant Steps album as documented in Disc 7 of the Atlantic Records box set The Heavyweight Champion. On April 1, 1959 Trane took Cedar Walton (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Lex Humphries (drums) into the Atlantic studios to work on a set of his compositions for the album, but he was evidenty dissatisfied with the results and ended up recorded the Giant Steps album with Tommy Flanagan and Arthur Taylor replacing Walton & Humphries on May 4-5, 1959. The “alternative versions” below are from April 1; the “alternate takes” are from the May sessions.

The John Sinclair Foundation Presents

GIANT STEPS

ANCESTOR WORSHIP WITH JOHN SINCLAIR 70

John Sinclair, Fly Agaric 23 Studio, Amsterdam, December 25, 2013 [JSAW-0070]

Charlie Parker: Another Hairdo

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 1)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 2)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 3)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 4)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 5)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 6)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version) (take 7)

John Coltrane Quartet: Giant Steps (alternate version)

John Coltrane Quartet: Naima (alternate version) (take 1)

John Coltrane Quartet: Naima (alternate version) (take 2)

John Coltrane Quartet: Naima (alternate version) (take 4)

John Coltrane Quartet: Naima (alternate version) (take 5)

John Coltrane Quartet: Naima (alternate version) (take 6)

John Coltrane Quartet: Countdown (alternate take)

John Coltrane Quartet: Syeeda’s Song Flute (alternate take)

John Coltrane Quartet: Cousin Mary (alternate take)

Coltrane Quartet: Like Sonny (alternate version)

A JOINT PRODUCTION

Hosted by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam

Produced, recorded, edited & assembled by John Sinclair

Executive Producer: Steve Pratt

Special thanks to Nick Smith & Steve The Fly

Sponsored by The Hempshopper & Ceres Seeds, Amsterdam

©  2013, 2017 The John Sinclair Foundation