The Complete 1963 Copenhagen Concert

John Coltrane frequently appeared on live radio broadcasts of concerts while touring with his bands, with many of them appearing and reappearing on various European labels. This 1963 Copenhagen concert, recorded at Tivoli Konertasal, features his classic quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. Previously issued by TDJ and MagLuxe, this two-CD set contains the complete concert, except for "Impressions," which was evidently incomplete on the original source tape. As typical with live recordings made from broadcasts with no remixing, the sound is not to the standard of a professional recording, with somewhat distant bass and muddy audio in spots. But the music is very listenable and finds the quartet at a peak, particularly in Coltrane's features on soprano sax, which include "The Promise," "Afro-Blue," and an explosive "My Favorite Things." In spite of the sound shortcomings, which also include brief dropouts, serious Coltrane collectors will get sufficient enjoyment to invest in this set. ~ Ken Dryden