Released in 1971, Sun Ship was recorded six years prior - sessions for the album followed two months after recording for Coltrane's masterpiece of avant-garde jazz was finished. Naturally, the sounds of Ascension still permeate the free, soaring spirit of Sun Ship, although the music isn't nearly as unhinged on this record as on Ascension. Even still, the transition was all but complete, and the resulting music is fire-y and passionate, as if Coltrane has found a way to beautifully and wholly meld the worlds of A Love Supreme and Ascension together, and the result is as good as any of his works - everything he touched turned to gold.
For being recorded after the sometimes beastly Ascension, many parts of it feel more grounded than the other-worldly sounds of the record that preceded it. That isn't to say that everything here is more conventional than the work on Ascension, because Sun Ship still wears the mark of the avant-garde and free jazz on its sleeve, seen through Coltrane's eternally frantic saxophone playing which only continues to get better and better throughout his records. Other moments like side-closer "Amen" showcase his group as nothing short of a powerhouse, every single one able to bounce their own ideas off each other to create a fluid, moving body of work that is quintessentially Coltrane. I want to mention Elvin Jones specifically on this record - he's a beast, from his bold solo on "Attaining" to the second, crashing half of "Ascent," the latter playing like a true musical journey to a higher plane from John Coltrane, as the piece builds from a lumbering Jimmy Garrison bass solo into one of John's most bursting and explosive compositions.
John's spirituality shows throughout, but other moments fit the bill more than others. The beautiful and spacious "Dearly Beloved" would fit in comfortably with A Love Supreme with similarly lush McCoy Tyner piano riffing, smooth Coltrane soloing, and Elvin Jones' atmospheric and poignant drumming, born to fit the work's mood. Other moments start more predictable like the massive "Attaining," which moves into a standard sounding jazz piece after a lengthy and bold opening from Coltrane and Co. This section is complete with some of McCoy's most bright piano playing on the record, too - they were all on fire by '65. Things continue on like this until Elvin Jones' low and thundering drum solo, before moving back into the bright and somber spirituality of Coltrane's saxophone playing in the final third. It's trademark Coltrane.
When it was recorded in '65, John Coltrane had proven himself to be untouchable in the jazz world - one of the brightest composers ever, and perhaps the greatest man to ever pick up the saxophone. Sun Ship is the tour-de-force of his abilities, meshing his textbook spirituality and passion for the avant-garde and loose style of free jazz to create a great spiritual successor (pun intended) to the brave and compelling Ascension. Every bit as fresh and unpredictable, and yet all the more lovely. Coltrane sails around the record with easy and brilliance, and he yet again doesn't miss - amen.
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to Sun Ship.
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