John Coltrane: Ascension - Edition II

Its difficult (and maybe pointless) to choose between the two 40-minute versions of Ascension that are included on the CD release, so lets go with the Edition II, which for some reason appears first. In any case, we recommend you listen to only one version per sitting, because this is difficult, trying music. Some would call it chaotic. Ascension can go into the same category as Ornette Colemans Free Jazz and Peter Brotzmanns Machine Gun. Yes, there is structure beneath all this, but it is impossible to ascertain exactly how much direction Coltrane gave the cast of musicians he assembled here. The seven saxophonists and trumpeters seem to blare away without much regard for what theyre hearing, if theyre even listening. So why the 89 rating? Because these moments of zaniness are mere bridges that link the high points of this performance namely, the intensely focused improvisation that occurs when most of the ensemble sits back to let the individuals solo with the rhythm section.