Live in Japan

In July 1966, John Coltrane and his band — Pharoah Sanders on saxophones, Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Rashied Ali on drums — undertook a triumphant tour of Japan. They played 17 concerts in 14 days, two of which were recorded and released in various forms over the years. The most complete version is this 4CD set. The performances are absolute marathons — the shortest piece is a 25-minute “Peace On Earth,” the longest a 57-minute “My Favorite Things.” The latter, and a 55-minute “Crescent,” each begin with a 15-minute bass solo from Garrison of extraordinary tenderness and beauty. Indeed, despite the length of the performances, these are some of the most lyrical and even romantic recordings from the last years of Coltrane’s life, when he was deep into spiritually inspired free jazz. These sets are also interesting because you get to hear both Coltrane and Sanders playing alto saxophones (gifts from Yamaha), which puts “My Favorite Things,” normally a soprano showcase, into a whole new light. The recordings, done for Japanese radio, are clear and beautiful; Alice Coltrane is particularly well-served during her long solo sections.