Sun Ship
Encyclopedia
Sun Ship is a jazz album recorded on August 26, 1965, by tenor saxophonist John Coltrane
. The album extended the free jazz
ideas of Transition. The relaxed, serene feel of earlier ballads like "Welcome" was transformed into a new style of ballad on "Dearly Beloved" and "Attaining". This style involved very slow tempos, drum rolls and fills, and a louder, more intense feel than traditional jazz ballads. Like "Psalm" (from A Love Supreme
), there is no real tune, just a scale or series of tones used to build an improvised theme. Coltrane's solos on the other tracks are also more extreme than on his earlier albums, and are reminiscent of the style of Albert Ayler
and Pharaoh Sanders in their extensive use of altissimo and multiphonics. The title "Sun Ship" may have been inspired by Sun Ra
's conception of free jazz
as having an affinity with science fiction conceptions of human existence.
Sun Ship was one of the only albums John Coltrane's quartet recorded without sound engineer Rudy Van Gelder
. It was also one of the last albums (with First Meditations
, recorded a week later) which John Coltrane recorded before he began experimenting with larger groups. Tenor saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders was playing regularly with the band by September, 1965, and both McCoy Tyner
and Elvin Jones
left the band in January, 1966.
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...
. The album extended the 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...
ideas of Transition. The relaxed, serene feel of earlier ballads like "Welcome" was transformed into a new style of ballad on "Dearly Beloved" and "Attaining". This style involved very slow tempos, drum rolls and fills, and a louder, more intense feel than traditional jazz ballads. Like "Psalm" (from A Love Supreme
A Love Supreme
A Love Supreme is a studio album recorded by John Coltrane's quartet in December 1964 and released by Impulse! Records in February 1965...
), there is no real tune, just a scale or series of tones used to build an improvised theme. Coltrane's solos on the other tracks are also more extreme than on his earlier albums, and are reminiscent of the style of Albert Ayler
Albert Ayler
Albert Ayler was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer.Ayler was among the most primal of the free jazz musicians of the 1960s; critic John Litweiler wrote that "never before or since has there been such naked aggression in jazz" He possessed a deep blistering tone—achieved...
and Pharaoh Sanders in their extensive use of altissimo and multiphonics. The title "Sun Ship" may have been inspired by Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
's conception of 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...
as having an affinity with science fiction conceptions of human existence.
Sun Ship was one of the only albums John Coltrane's quartet recorded without sound engineer Rudy Van Gelder
Rudy Van Gelder
Rudy Van Gelder is an American recording engineer specializing in jazz.Often regarded as one of the most important recording engineers in music history, Van Gelder has recorded several thousand jazz sessions, including many widely recognized as classics, in a career spanning more than half a century...
. It was also one of the last albums (with First Meditations
First Meditations
First Meditations is a 1977 album by John Coltrane recorded in 1965. It is a quartet version of a suite Coltrane would record as Meditations two months later with the additions of Pharoah Sanders as a second tenor saxophone and Rashied Ali on drums...
, recorded a week later) which John Coltrane recorded before he began experimenting with larger groups. Tenor saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders was playing regularly with the band by September, 1965, and both McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...
and Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
left the band in January, 1966.
Track listing
- "Sun Ship" – 6:12
- "Dearly Beloved" – 6:27
- "Amen" – 8:16
- "Attaining" – 11:26
- "Ascent" – 10:10
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...
, soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, leader - McCoy TynerMcCoy TynerMcCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...
– 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... - Elvin JonesElvin JonesElvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
– 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 ....