JOHN COLTRANE — Om (review)

JOHN COLTRANE — Om album cover Album · 1967 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
1/5 ·
Abraxas
Tenor legend, John Coltrane, throughout his rather short but extremely productive solo career, was capable of pulling out some of the most expressive music on earth but also some very painful music to hear, just a proof of the genius and mystery of the much praised Trane.

It is on the infamous Om album where he delivers one of the freer jazz music I've ever had the annoyance to hear. There's even this myth that it was recorded when the band was in an acid trip, not really surprising since John was well aware of LSD and consumed it a lot in his final years. (According to Eric Nissenson's "Ascension: John Coltrane & his Quest")

I should first admit that I'm no advocate of "the new thing", but I'm nonetheless a huge fan of Trane and most of his discography. It's from 1965 onwards that things started to get wackier; I've simply sought for these albums out of pure curiosity and to understand John's highly evolutionary mind-state and quest, even though I knew that it would not really be of my appeal. (although I did find some good surprises)

John since his spiritual awakening around 1957 left alcohol and heroin behind, and in his music he was constantly trying to express "God", while not from any specific religion, if not purely its essence of love, among other spiritual values. And here is when I think that his followers in later years expressed this sentiment much better than Coltrane himself did, say the music of Pharoah Sanders or Alice Coltrane managed to be way more meditative and spiritual-like than the dissonant and replete of fiery avant-garde of John.

Unlike other avant-garde albums by John where at least a melody or idea in mind are present when playing, very much inspired by Ornette Coleman, it is on Om where there's no sense of direction in any second of the 29-minute piece. And sincerely I find it hard to find any spiritual ambience or theme, other than the introductory chant of a Buddhist text which sounds very dark. It's simply this, every member is literally playing whatever they please and generate unpleasant sounds and as a whole it's simply a wall of noise.

Definitely not a recommended album for jazz fans, exception being avant-garde jazz fans that might get a kick out of this. Also, Coltrane fans will probably want to get this out of pure curiosity like I did, but really, just get it if you find it super cheap.

Mind you, although this is one of the most annoying and boring jazz records I've ever heard, it really doesn't change my mind a single bit concerning Coltrane's genius. He was an expressive man, although in his late days he expressed everything that in his mind surged, you can never say that he didn't follow his own, personal, music and life quest that led to many artistic masterpieces.
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