John Coltrane Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
McCoy Tyner Piano
Jimmy Garrison Bass
Elvin Jones Drums
Coltrane and his legendary band � McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums � regularly played at downtown New York�s Half Note in the mid 1960s. The group used the club�s flexible set times to accommodate Coltrane�s musical suites and far-reaching improvisations. As Half Note founder Mike Canterino said, �I just wanted the music and to let the guys go ahead and do what they want to do.�
The importance of these influential performances has grown throughout the years as musicians � especially saxophone players � passed around bootleg and lo-fi copies taken from the 1965 radio broadcast. It was a time when Coltrane was pushing his musical boundaries, and one can hear the evolution of his style on these recordings. As his son Ravi Coltrane says, �You can hear everything that came before and begin to hear where the music was going.�
The music captured on One Down, One Up: Live At The Half Note features the songs �One Down, One Up� (perhaps the highlight of the collection), �Afro Blue,� �Song of Praise,� and �My Favorite Things.� The unparalleled performances showcase a band filled with fiery passion and a master at the crossroads of his musical path.
One Down, One Up: Live At The Half Note features liner notes from journalist and author Ashley Kahn who wrote A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane�s Signature Album as well as the upcoming The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records. Also included is an essay by the CD�s producer, Ravi Coltrane.
