John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.
After “Coltrane”, the second indisputably great album from this period is “John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman”. I am not much of a one for Jazz Vocalists, especially male Jazz vocalists, but, man, Mr Hartman has a way with a phrase. If anything, his voice, intonation, vibrato, and enunciation are almost too perfect. Too Beautiful, to borrow a phrase from Lorenz Hart.
Not only that, but after all the fumbling around for the “Ballads” album, the band arrives at something really great here in its accompaniments. Sensitive to the vocalist and subtle in its inflections. It’s hard to believe it is the same band. A perfect album.
#TodaysCommuteSoundtrack #JohnColtrane #JohnnyHartman #JimmyGarrison #ElvinJones #McCoyTyner