John Coltrane Quartet - Live 1965 - Vigil (excerpt)

[WillGobleMusic]

Actually bradenton guy, it's just plain wrong to say this song has no rhythm or meter. For the most part they are playing in time, a few resolution don't line up, or come in a beat or so early, but that's what comes with taking risks. There is meter, swing, and structure in this. They're just burning in addition to that.

[jedirhythm]

LISTEN TO THAT ENTRANCE! It's like, how many dimensions can the man draw out of one note? And he does it three times so as not to tease us. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. What a benevolent musician he was.

[screentaylor12]

is it just me or is there steam coming off Elvin?

[pdrums777]

@screentaylor12 lol yeah that happens to me when i go boxing .. the gym is cold and im hot and i steam haha

[RichMoore13]

@screentaylor12

He's on fire ! .... literally :P

[LeSexisme]

all you pussies need to stop talking about race and check out that steam evaporating off of these soulful genius motherfuckers. Jones is looking like a steam engine. Goddman, this is music.

[porchestra]

Elvin was steamin'

[GBaslJazzer]

I can see where you're coming from with this. It's very possible that his heroin usage had something to do with these kind of performances. This was the beginning of Elvin's departure from Coltrane, as it's stated that he didn't agree with his new stylistic direction. I do agree that it would be taking the easy road to just blow into a sax as hard as humanly possible instead of applying some structure to it.

[cjmarsicano]

@GBaslJazzer Coltrane was off of drugs and completely sober for years by the time this clip was filmed.

[bradentonguy50]

No. Actually, Elvin was always a great drummer. But the reason he is sweating so much is that this song has no meter or rhythm and he is trying to do the impossible: make order out of utter chaos. If anything, I feel sorry for the poor guy. But he is obviously doing the very best he can do with pure, unadulterated shitty material. Elvin gets an A+ in my book. I beg to differ with you that this is an exercise of creativity. In my opinion this is just Coltrane abusing his horn and the audience

[GBaslJazzer]

@bradentonguy50 I don't see how you could consider this to be garbage. If something is different, does that make it terrible? Maybe this wasn't his best "sounding" material, but it was most definitely self-expression through music, and there's nothing bad about that. What about Elvin? Do have something to say about his performance here? Maybe you think he's just hitting the drums in some bizarre manner that doesn't make sense. Excuse them for taking a chance and being creative.

[bradentonguy50]

Pure swill

[bradentonguy50]

This is a perfect example of the garbage he was blowing out of his horn later in his career. People say to themselves: "I hear noise blown through a sax with no melody, cognizable chord changes, beginning ,middle or end; so it must be "advanced," beyond me and therefore great." Does this really sound good to you? If so, please explain precisely what is good about it.

[martysaxophone]

@bradentonguy50 This is a musical story like any other. There are climaxes and low points. For instance from the start of the video to roughly 1:06, there is a descent in energy. The two of them make the exact same syncopated rhythmic hits, and then move into a lull of steadier time on Elvin's part juxtaposed with Coltrane's continued experimentation with rhythmic playing.

[whykatera81]

@bradentonguy50 You must be a white guy. Its a black thing you wouldnt understand. You see Trane got away from the "order" that whites seem to find comfort in. Just because its not what your used to doesnt make it garbage. This is stuff you have to feel and like i said you must be white because you lack feeling and the tools it takes to feel this black shittt! Noit

[Eldushbago]

@whykatera81

thats racist as hell; i love this and im white.

[whykatera81]

@Eldushbago i didnt intend on it being racist. its just truth! if you like it god bless you but its fact that most whites find this discomforting and usually call it noise because it is uniquely afrikan jazz

[zakcattack]

@bradentonguy50

I hear freedom.

[glg20decoy]

Pure emotional magnetic unconscious thought. To live this free is the key. Totally inspirational.

[Juupp]

believe me....they have taken their brown candy. WOW!!!

[dhundai]

john coltrane is angel from earth, message in love and peace.. prophet ??,

[peppersax]

@Owrkeeng You apparently misunderstood what I wrote. I was merely pointing out how John Coltrane was so far ahead of everyone else with his playing, that years from now, there possibly will be musicians that will either match the level of his musicianship , or even surpass it. However, that is not the case as of this writing 09/09/2010. Just like Igor Stravinsky, who was also way ahead of his time, so it is with Coltrane. It has absolutely nothing to do with people who like or dislike jazz.

[OwrKeeng]

@peppersax I think me tagging you was an accident sorry lol.

[dorian411]

Ya' think Elvin was in a State of Bliss? This is incredible! Go John go!

[ponchocervantes]

channeling the spirit...

[bobbygoesbig]

The intensity of this performance is overwhelming. The piano is actually shaking lol

[rikharde86]

Yeah I can see how this would have intimidated my grand parents.

[youngsweetgeesus]

@rikharde86 really how so??? just curious, not trying to start a riot lol

[kuglepen64]

wow wow wow. just wow.

[vandoren59]

wow

enough said......

[gutirix]

bravo bravisimoo

[saxxman25]

YES! God damn this the fucking shit.

[peppersax]

Let's see, this was about 44 years ago and we're in 2009.  I think the rest of us will catch up somewhere in 2044.....Maybe?

[OwrKeeng]

@peppersax How do you expect people to just start liking Jazz, Jazz is kind of a thing you have to be trained to listen to.

[zakcattack]

@OwrKeeng Just need to feel it brother.

[ziogustav]

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh­hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh­hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[valambiguous]

Intensely ~GOOD~

[passjay]

very good thanks Val..shhh!!! lol

[Gcman928]

wooow! who was the bass player? jimmy garrison?

[ZeuhlEmgalai]

yes

[gilouseb]

@Gcman928 yes

[Laurenan69]

reminds me a bit of contemporary hardcore groups like the dillinger escape plan !

[dorian411]

INCREDIBLE!!! SHIVERS!!!! The greatest musician of the 20th century. And this is mild compared to much of his later output.

[TheJazzMessenger13]

If anyone is "Hardcore jazz", he is. Seriously. Trane is a beast!

[EMCEMITCH]

i hate to put it in competetive terms but no one was close=this cat was on his own planet musically

[bardobound]

agreed. after listening to this most sax players sound like they are still in 'Trane-ing'... most emulate or imitate but few dig down as deep as this, it seems the deeper he goes the further out he gets. if that makes any sense...

[islandcrimes]

@EMCEMITCH In total and absolute agreence----- a mystic and a virtuoso simultaneously --- he could hear the word of God --or creative force and translate or embody it---simply miraculous----but course there are others touched by a similiar ecstatic watering hole-- Oliver Messian and Cnharles Ives deal with the "Ultimate Expression" in their music and they are also as challenging as Coltrane

[BassLudeman]

0:49 - 0:59 !!!!!!!!

[hagnuj]

Makes you wonder if he took it further in the afterlife

[hyperbilly13]

I love Coltrane

this guy was dynamite

[madhoneydew]

it is only though language that we can show the limits of language. not saying, but showing

[lecarreso]

one of the music history´s tops

[1337Pwn4g3]

This music has so much brawn it basically beats the shit outta the listener. 6 stars!!!

[centraal22]

You are so right, it's like Hard Core Jazz.

Great observation.

[principios]

I love the way elvin and mccoy together prepare the tensions, great synchrony. and so fckn energic!!

[robertclemon]

Jazzmen,creating on the fly, outrageous,and absoulte.

[altonoir]

trane makes you wanna shed 9 hours a day! lol

[BassLudeman]

I found the whole video on some blog. pretty crazy! mcCoy gets a really awesome piano solo, before Coltrane comes in again. Nice video, though! seems very A love Supreme-esque.

[caoniya]

okay, before i die i will make sure i hear much more than an excerpt. and then ideally i'll die.

or maybe transcribe it.

[glassbreaker5791]

have you ever seen so much emotion come from a group of musicians? elvin fucking jones kicks ass.

[que2pineapple]

cause they're all trippin out of their minds

[groovemanx]

elvin kills

[groovemanx]

dude!!!!!!!!!!!!111

[shawoody]

WHOAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! YES SIR!

[henrysimagaloveyui]

man, thats some video of these guys, great stuff, thanks

[talkingwall]

Good God!  Look at the steam coming off of Elvin Jones. This is the greatest 2 minute video of all time. Thank you thank you thank you!

[crowkangi]

this is pure fucking fire!...and love. that's what makes him so special is how much heart he puts into it. No one touches him in his craft. my favorite musician and I'm a drummer. It's makes most other jazz seem too smooth...or weak.

[Damaraja]

Jimi would bow down to Trane.

[glassbreaker5791]

almost anybody would.

[wegaengine1]

hardcore jazz!!! lol

[fissure226]

its not that funny...

[fissure226]

a Jimi/Trane jam would rip a worm hole directly to god's imagination and thus would instanly annihilate this universe.

[magicdudegary]

omg LMAO!

[shawoody]

MMMMMMMM!!!!

[frfi83]

this is awesome

[mikedavis0923]

I see a master to Hendrix...

[fissure226]

i see two diferent entities

[railcar123]

Awesome!!

[speshclub7]

Brother John would hve been 81 today.Celebrate by digging out your favoutite Trane moments.This footage is superb.

[anomalousmorphous]

where are the later period works?this is the one what i find from 1965.I dont belive that no one has the live recordings of OM, Ascension or Meditations.....

[suncity22001]

does anyone know if otalunji footage exists, on youtube, or at all?

thanx

j.

[bloombutter]

To add to RafiZabor's info, this set, along with 2 sets from Germany in 1960 and 1961, will be released on a Jazz Icons DVD on September 4. It contains this song(along with Naima and My Favorite Things), as well as a 1960 set w/ the 'Kind of Blue' band(Cobb, Chambers, Kelly), and also the German set from 1961(w/ Eric Dolphy, you can find that version of My Favorite Things on YouTube as well). This release is pretty much the Holy Grail of Coltrane footage.

[jvalencia4]

Man this is burning!!!

One of days I will never forget and cherish is when I met Elvin at the Blue Note in NY. I happen to be walking by and I saw the sign for Elvin Jones and the Jazz Machine. I said oh, I should check this out when they are here and when I looked throught he window it was them. I paid my $45 to stand by the bar and sho his hand after the last set. I saw his wife/manager Keko too. It was great...

Peace..

[RafiZabor]

Just to get the information straight: this is from Comblain, Belgium, 1965. The complete video includes Vigil, Naima, and a long version of My Favorite Things that comes close to demonstrating the full greatness of this incredible band. The same concert also included a version of Valse Hot, audio only. Try to get a look at the full length My Favorite Things: Trane's second solo gets you as close as you can get without actually having been there,

[23djmix]

When the aliens land and ask what jazz is, I'll show them this clip. I think they'll get the idea pretty quickly.

[SidewalkFrequencies]

Elvin Jones is literally cooking, LOL

[teetpiece]

where can I get all of this concert. Will someone put me out of my misery (thomasjamespoole at gmai dot com)

[bahoss]

This is what I call Art. This is beyond the ordinary reality.

Love always.

[ambi10]

what dvd is this from?

[dreadtodred]

man trane was the best !! my uncle who is a jazz nut said he seen trane make grown men cry with his playing and people in the audience would go whoa and yeah like on a roller coaster ride when he did his sheets of sounds and his many dynamic moves. Peace.

[zxc1974]

Elvin Jones!

[shadoutmapes]

jesus christ, listen to the way mccoy and elvin lock in with those hits, it's like telepathy or something

[jedbeetle]

it's telepathy.

[GhettoKuumba]

all you can say is just great though for real

[seraphiclight]

I don't know if I'm allowed to advertise websites, so I'm not gonna say the name, but I found the whole version of this piece on the web. It begins with a duet between Coltrane and Elvin, then a piano solo, then what you see here.

[edcerc]

dude its okay. Youtube is based around bootlegging so it can only help fans of coltrane to know were they can see the rest of the footage

[edbrown100]

I love when I find a whole 'new' community on YouTube. My old man has his albums.

[foxnaif]

jazz is musicians' music. they groove in and out of each other's cues; they jam and like voodoo dancers they aim to reach a transcendent state through their instruments (with some help from drugs). personally, as a member of the audience and being a non-muso, I need a little more structure happening. but you have to hand it to coltrane, davis, parker, young et al, all masters of their instruments.

[logosthedestroyer]

Oh wow!!!!! PLEASE tell me where you got this, I need more!!

[ericscigliano]

is similar to an orgasm man!!!!

[tubehead357]

Elvin was hittin on all cylinders! Wow, some people just don't understand.

[schrumpfl]

i think his horn is busted, that sounds like crap

[elprimonelson]

you are a mojon....

[prandall240]

your a terrible person

[groovyw53]

i think your brain is dead, you sound like crap

[twelveblocks]

Wow! Where you see smoke, there is a fire!

[shadoutmapes]

HOLY FUCKING BALLS

[doomslang]

GODDAMN!

Is Elvin Jones on fire?

[kensatan]

now that is how to play jazz! Elvin Jones looks like he's steaming! gorgeous sound!

[Soul74]

McCoy is hitting that piano so hard it's shaking!

[GilbertSmith]

Christ he's like a wild animal. This could convert anyone who's not a jazz listener.

[orangegrange]

nothing I can say...incredible

[pats108]

this is completely mad in the best possible sense

[monodiligente]

Para saber cual fue el sentido de Elvin Jones para la batería dentro del jazz hay que escuchar a un baterista anterior a Elvin, escuchar después a Elvin, y finalmente a un baterista posterior. Lo dijo Ron Carter.

[SpecialK62]

Where is this performed?

[SpecialK62]

Where is this that he's performing?

[TheVents]

Fucking amazing.

[JLZambianchi]

ISTO e' Jazz!!!!

[boerockhard]

Looks as if Elvin Jones is on fire!!!

[wyntek]

Coltrane at his best. Could you please post the whole video?

[JazzVideoGuy]

Where did you get this? Incredible.

[rpbanham]

Amazing stuff. I have always loved Coltrane in his 'freer' phase. Like I once saw once a documentary someone said he focusses you so quickly into what he is thinking and feeling. I really feel this too.

The ending is also amazing you can see that each performance is physically and mentally draining with the look on his face - like he has been on a journey. I don't know any of the greats like tyner or anyone who I have seen live who can still create this feeling now. A shame

[osensei2987]

I honestly believe Coltrane was the first Rock musician. Where do you think the idea of distorted/overdriven guitar came from? Listen to Trane's screaming sax if you need a clue?

But of course, you still have to give the blues guitarists their credit for the evolution of Rock!

[HoratioParker]

You're absolutely right.

Rock musicians just toned down what the jazz guys were doing. Cream, Hendrix, they were all going over ground pioneered by jazz players.

An important fact that many rock fans don't understand. I'm not out to denigrate rock, it's just important to understand where things come from.

[HoratioParker]

Something else: towards the end of his life, Coltrane did lots of LSD, so much that he sometimes had to be led onstage. Miles Davis expressed an opinion that LSD is what killed Coltrane(JC died of liver cancer).

[Mikelarkenson2]

was he from outer space?

[wyntek]

No, Mike ur thinking of Sun Ra