Marilyn Crispell - For Coltrane (Leo, 1993)

This post is by Dan

Marilyn Crispell (p)

Recorded July 10, 1987

The story of Marilyn Crispell's transformation from a classical pianist to a jazz artist begins with her first encounter with John Coltrane's masterpiece, A Love Supreme. Her recollection was captured by critics Brian Morton and Richard Cook:

"I was living alone. I didn't have much at all. And then someone played me A Love Supreme. And that just seem to change everything. From that moment" (Penguin Jazz Guide, 2010. p. 512).

 For Coltrane is a solo piano tribute to Crispell's inspiration. Although recorded in 1987 before a live London audience, it was not released until 1993 on the Leo label. The recital begins with a straightforward passionate reading of "Dear Lord," one of Coltrane's most moving compositions. It ends with another of Coltrane's inspirational songs, "After the Rain." In between, she injects a three-part collage of freely improvised impressions and two more Coltrane tunes. "Lazy Bird" is a playful version of the bebop tune, in which every inch of the keyboard seems to be engaged in a four-minute span. 

Morton and Cook refer to the penultimate track, "Coltrane Time," as "important," an unusual descriptor for any jazz interpretation. It soars like "Lazy Bird," yet the playing is entirely original and virtually uncategorizable. Although my first response to this track was to identify a few of Cecil Taylor's signature moves, closer listening dispels the comparison almost completely. Crispell is an original voice, possessed of a remarkable technique and an expansive artistic imagination. "Coltrane Time" is one of the most compelling jazz performances by a solo pianist I've ever heard. 

I'm not sure what to make of Ani Tashjian's original cover art. There could not be a greater contrast between the original cover and the plain blue-and-white cover of the reissue.