John Coltrane: Central Park West

One of Coltranes early explorations on soprano sax, cut a few days after the My Favorite Things session. This lovely, lyrical ballad is a study in dynamic control and taste. The tune is handled with kid gloves as Coltrane makes small rhythmic and harmonic alterations to the evolving theme. Tyners accompaniment is like a classical waterfall, splashing into limpid pools of quiet melody. One of drummer Jones gifts was knowing when to keep it down; here his brushes shuffle sinuously along the skins, making occasional pinpoint strikes on the cymbals. Steve Davis bass, too, mostly issues percussive pulses. Rapturous.