Soultrane is a ballad written by
Tadd Dameron. It appears on
Mating Call, an album with both Dameron and
Coltrane. Although the quartet did not perform Soultrane for this album,
Prestige, who released this album, thought it a good name for it.
Coltrane's playing is superb here, as usual, but to me, what is really astounding is Red Garland's solos. On the first track, Good Bait, Garland begins his solo by picking up where Coltrane left off. He plays Coltrane's last lick on the piano, and then continues to develop themes started by Coltrane. It's incedible.
The first two tunes are over well over 10 minutes long, but unlike many long performances, they do not tire the ear or grow boring, even after multiple listenings. All four musicians show off their skill at interesting, well built solos.
You Say You Care had not been done before in a jazz context, but sounds as if it was written especially for this quartet. And Russian Lullaby is played at a speed that I have few reach, and those that do hardly ever have the drive that this quartet achieve. I'm still not sure how they do it.
This album is how jazz is supposed to be played.