Impressions

John Coltrane · 1961 · Definitive version: live at the Village Vanguard, November 3, 1961

Context

Coltrane recorded this modal theme live at the Village Vanguard on November 3, 1961, with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. It follows the structure of So What (sixteen bars in D Dorian, eight in E-flat Dorian, eight in D Dorian). The fifteen-minute version was released in July 1963 on the album Impressions (Impulse!).

In the genealogy of jazz

This track belongs to Modal. Among the origins and influences of Modal: Cool (Birth of the Cool), Hard bop, Bossa nova, jazz samba.

By the same artist

• My Favorite Things (1961)
• Chasin' the Trane (1961)
• Giant Steps (1960)
• Naima (1960)
• Mr. P.C. (1960)
• Countdown (1960)

Sources

• EN: Impressions (John Coltrane album)
• EN: Impressions (instrumental composition)

Jazzency text written from these pages. Method and licenses