Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (CD7)

CD1

1. Stairway To The Stars
2. The Late Late Blues
3. Bags & Trane
4. Three Little Words
5. The Night We Called It A Day
6. Be-Bop
7. Blues Legacy
8. Centerpiece
9. Giant Steps (Alternate Version)
10. Naima (Alternate Version)
11. Like Sonny (Alternate Version)

CD2

1. Spiral
2. Countdown
3. Countdown (Alternate Take)
4. Syeeda’s Song Flute
5. Syeeda’s Song Flute (Alternate Take)
6. Mr. P.C.
7. Giant Steps
8. Cousin Mary
9. Cousin Mary (Alternate Take)
10. I’ll Wait And Pray
11. I’ll Wait And Pray (Alternate Take)
12. Little Old Lady

CD3

1. Like Sonny
2. Harmonique
3. My Shining Hour
4. Naima
5. Some Other Blues
6. Fifth House
7. Cherryco
8. The Blessing
9. Focus On Sanity
10. The Invisible
11. Bemsha Swing

CD4

1. Village Blues
2. Village Blues (Alternate Take)
3. My Favorite Things
4. Central Park West
5. Mr. Syms
6. Untitled Original (Exotica)
7. Summertime
8. Body And Soul
9. Body And Soul (Alternate Take)
10. Mr. Knight

CD5

1. Blues To Elvin (Alternate Take)
2. Blues To Elvin
3. Mr. Day
4. Blues To You (Alternate Take)
5. Blues To You
6. Blues To Bechet
7. Satellite
8. Everytime We Say Goodbye
9. 26-2
10. But Not For Me

CD6

1. Liberia
2. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
3. Equinox
4. Olé
5. Dahomey Dance
6. Aisha
7. Original Untitled Ballad (To Her Ladyship)

CD7

1. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 1 [incomplete]
2. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 2 [false start]
3. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 3 [incomplete]
4. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 4 [incomplete]
5. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 5 [alternate]
6. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 6 [false start]
7. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 7 [incomplete]
8. Naima (Alternate Version): Take 1 [incomplete]
9. Naima (Alternate Version): Take 2 [incomplete]
10. Naima (Alternate Version): Take 4 [false start]
11. Naima (Alternate Version): Take 5 [alternate]
12. Naima (Alternate Version): Take 6 [alternate]
13. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Rehearsal 1 [false start]
14. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Rehearsal 2 [incomplete]
15. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Take 1 [false start]
16. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Take 2 [incomplete]
17. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Take 3 [incomplete]
18. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Take 4 [false start]
19. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Take 5 [alternate]
20. Like Sonny (Alternate Version): Take 6 [incomplete]
21. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 3 [incomplete]
22. Giant Steps (Alternate Version): Take 6 [alternate]
23. Blues To Elvin: Take 2 [false start]
24. Blues To Elvin: Take 3 [alternate]
25. Blues To You

While John Coltrane first gained attention for his revolutionary ‘sheets of sound’ technique, it was the deep spirituality of his music that really made his recordings as a band leader such classics. The albums Coltrane recorded for Atlantic in 1959 and 1960 represent the heart of his legacy.

A reconfiguration of the 1995 Rhino box set which brought these legendary recordings to CD for the first time, Heavyweight Champion is presented in a sleek, hard clamshell box, with the CDs held in elegant card sleeves, and a glossy 78-page booklet.

Original Atlantic producer Joel Dorn supervised the 1995 reissue from the earliest generation masters Coltrane recorded during the 1959-1961 stint with the label, and in the process discovered an entire reel of tape from John’s first Atlantic solo sessions.

This unissued material, including revealing takes of such landmarks as ‘Giant Steps’ and ‘Naima’, makes up an entire album of this superb 7 CD box set.

•             The booklet features notes by Coltrane biographer Louis Porter plus testimonials from such contemporaries as Yusef Lateef and Charles Lloyd. It also includes a rare interview with ‘Cousin Mary’ Alexander offering a personal view of jazz’s true Heavyweight Champion, as well as a collection of stunning photographs.

•             Includes more than an hour of rare material from John’s very first Atlantic sessions

•             Such great musicians as Milt Jackson, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Eric Dolphy and others can be heard playing in support on Heavyweight Champion