Stellar Regions
Encyclopedia
Stellar Regions is a posthumous release by John Coltrane
, discovered in 1994 by the artist's wife, Alice Coltrane
, who plays piano on the session. Alice Coltrane is responsible for the titles of the eight numbers on the album, although the material is not entirely previously unreleased: the same take of "Offering" was first issued on the Coltranes' final studio album, Expression
; the song incorrectly retitled "Stellar Regions" here is in fact an early version of "Venus", first released in 1974 on the sax-drums duo
album, Interstellar Space
. Stellar Regions was recorded the week prior to the session that gave rise to that album, and features many similar note choices and runs; indeed, the "Venus" solo is also presaged here by portions of "Offering" and "Sun Star". The former song and also "Tranesonic" anticipate the fascination with polyrhythm
and spare, duo arrangements that would dominate the Interstellar Space sessions.
The music features Rashied Ali
on drums and Jimmy Garrison
on bass. Several of the songs are remarkable for an almost European sense of tonality ("Jimmy's Mode") quite at odds with Coltrane's usual work in the blues
idiom. Garrison's bass is often bowed, unusual for him and for Coltrane, and also lending an orchestral majesty to material like "Seraphic Light". There are a couple of blues-based and atonal numbers as well.
This is one of Coltrane's most accessible later albums. The numbers are brief and distinctly structured. But the fact that Coltrane did not title this material leaves in doubt how much of it he ultimately intended to release.
Some critics and musicians (including the British free jazz
saxophonist Evan Parker
, and Coltrane biographer Lewis Porter) have argued that Coltrane is playing an alto saxophone - something he did very rarely after 1946 - on both versions of the piece entitled "Tranesonic".
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, discovered in 1994 by the artist's wife, Alice Coltrane
Alice Coltrane
Alice Coltrane, née McLeod was an American jazz pianist, organist, harpist, and composer.-Biography:...
, who plays piano on the session. Alice Coltrane is responsible for the titles of the eight numbers on the album, although the material is not entirely previously unreleased: the same take of "Offering" was first issued on the Coltranes' final studio album, Expression
Expression (album)
Expression is an album by jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. The title track was Coltrane's last studio recording; the rest of the album was recorded at about the same time as Interstellar Space. "To Be" features Coltrane on flute, the only recording he made on the instrument for an entire track...
; the song incorrectly retitled "Stellar Regions" here is in fact an early version of "Venus", first released in 1974 on the sax-drums duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
album, Interstellar Space
Interstellar Space
Interstellar Space was one of the final studio albums recorded by the saxophonist John Coltrane before his death in 1967, originally-released posthumously by Impulse! Records on LP in 1974.-Composition:...
. Stellar Regions was recorded the week prior to the session that gave rise to that album, and features many similar note choices and runs; indeed, the "Venus" solo is also presaged here by portions of "Offering" and "Sun Star". The former song and also "Tranesonic" anticipate the fascination with polyrhythm
Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms.Polyrhythm in general is a nonspecific term for the simultaneous occurrence of two or more conflicting rhythms, of which cross-rhythm is a specific and definable subset.—Novotney Polyrhythms can be distinguished from...
and spare, duo arrangements that would dominate the Interstellar Space sessions.
The music features Rashied Ali
Rashied Ali
Rashied Ali, born Robert Patterson was an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life.-Biography:...
on drums and Jimmy Garrison
Jimmy Garrison
Jimmy Garrison was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.-Biography:...
on bass. Several of the songs are remarkable for an almost European sense of tonality ("Jimmy's Mode") quite at odds with Coltrane's usual work in the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
idiom. Garrison's bass is often bowed, unusual for him and for Coltrane, and also lending an orchestral majesty to material like "Seraphic Light". There are a couple of blues-based and atonal numbers as well.
This is one of Coltrane's most accessible later albums. The numbers are brief and distinctly structured. But the fact that Coltrane did not title this material leaves in doubt how much of it he ultimately intended to release.
Some critics and musicians (including the British free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
saxophonist Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
, and Coltrane biographer Lewis Porter) have argued that Coltrane is playing an alto saxophone - something he did very rarely after 1946 - on both versions of the piece entitled "Tranesonic".
Track listing
- "Seraphic Light" –8:54
- "Sun Star" –6:05
- "Stellar Regions" –3:31
- "Iris" –3:50
- "Offering" –8:20
- "Configuration" –4:01
- "Jimmy's Mode" –5:58
- "Tranesonic" –4:14
- "Stellar Regions" [alternate take] –4:37
- "Sun Star" [alternate take] –8:05
- "Tranesonic" [alternate take] –2:48
Personnel
- John ColtraneJohn ColtraneJohn William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
— tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Alice ColtraneAlice ColtraneAlice Coltrane, née McLeod was an American jazz pianist, organist, harpist, and composer.-Biography:...
— pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Jimmy GarrisonJimmy GarrisonJimmy Garrison was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.-Biography:...
— bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Rashied AliRashied AliRashied Ali, born Robert Patterson was an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life.-Biography:...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....