John Coltrane - Live At Birdland (Acoustic Sounds)

Recorded shortly before A Love Supreme, Live At Birdland captures John Coltrane during a period of rapid artistic development. Despite its title, the album combines three performances recorded at New York's Birdland in October 1963 with two studio pieces cut the following month. Coltrane is joined by his celebrated quartet of McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. Highlights include the powerful 'Alabama', written in response to the 1963 Birmingham church bombing, and an expansive take on Mongo Santamaria's 'Afro Blue', led by Coltrane on soprano saxophone.