Essential Listening 2006: Reissues

John Coltrane Fearless Leader

In my opinion, the question isn't Stones or Beatles, it's Coltrane or Davis. In 1957, Coltrane was an integral member of Miles' first quintet, and was enjoying the release of 'Round About Midnight, but was hungry for something more. He entered the studio in May for the first time as the leader of his own group. Between May 1957 and December 1958, he recorded an astounding amount of material for the Prestige label, including his seminal early works Lush Life, Soultrane, and Traneing In. Fearless Leader is a six-CD set that captures all of the incredible material from this prolific and profound period and sets it down in one place. Coltrane's creative vision, songwriting (and interpretive) skill, and musical talent grace nearly every note of every song here, including classics like "Russian Lullaby," "I Want To Talk About You," "Black Pearls," "Stardust," and "I Hear A Rhapsody." The entire set is one seamless suite of classic, saxophone-driven jazz at its best, meaning you can get lost in its strange worlds and winding roads of deep emotional resonance and shimmering waves of sonic beauty. Of course, Coltrane used these sessions to refine his style and set himself on the path of greater destiny to come, as his later works would produce some of the finest albums- jazz or otherwise- in the history of recorded music. For Coltrane fans, this is a must listen. But even for the casual jazz fan, there is much to be learned from the music, artfully packaged and documented with essays and liner notes, contained within this magnficient set.

Gram Parsons The Complete Reprise Sessions

Gram Parsons profound contribution to the history of alt. country and country-tinged rock n' roll is a wondrous thing. Parsons pioneered the alt. country sound in the 1960's as a member of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, helped the Rolling Stones create a Southern sound on "Wild Horses" and Exile On Main Street, and on a pair of solo albums, GP and Grievous Angel, dueting with soulmate Emmylou Harris. The Complete Reprise Sessions restores these two solo albums to their original glory and includes over a disc's worth of unreleased material. Packaged as a boxed set but priced as a regular 2-CD set, these albums are must-hear material for anyone who loves Uncle Tupelo, the Black Crowes, Steve Earle, The Jayhawks, Rattle and Hum-era U2, or, of course, Emmylou Harris. While a quick glance at the tracklist might not reveal it, most people have heard many of these songs covered over the last 30 years by the artists mentioned above or one of dozens of other well-known singers. Yet Parsons had a unique, relaxed voice and talented country band that make him stand out and apart from those whom he has influenced. His original versions of his greatest songs are a joyful sound to hear.

The Black Crowes The Lost Crowes

For nearly a decade, Black Crowes afficianados have been listening to a leaked copy of The Band, the working title of one of the great lost albums of all time. With songs like "Another Roadside Tragedy," "Paint An 8," and "My Heart's Killing Me," which stand easily besides their acknowledged "hits," The Band Sessions finally saw official release in 2006 as disc one of The Lost Crowes, a 2-CD set of previously unreleased studio material (the other features the Tall Sessions, which led to the album Amorica). If you are even a casual fan of the Crowes, this album is a worthy addition to your music collection.