I remember that when I first owned the LP version at around age 21 my father complained, whenever he heard the music on this album: "There is that suicidal maniac again." It was a crude assessment, but while no doubt much of this sounded like a blurred noise to him, he could nevertheless detect a purpose of sorts. And certainly Coltrane sounded like a man possessed here, and still does. But to those who opened their ears he did, more than on several earlier or later recordings, sound hugely eloquent and in command of his music (not just his instruments). This remains an enormously powerful, harmonious and even melodious work of art - one of the best from its period, and certainly one of Coltrane's best. It is odd that it is not regularly put ahead of, or at least alongside with, many of the more popular records like "Blue Train" and "My Favourite Things", for in many ways both Coltrane and the (daringly orchestrated) band sound yet more distinctive and innovative than anything on those small-group recordings. The title track, "Africa", a very long piece, is strongly evocative of that continent, with all its grandeur, depth and complexity. Something like "Greensleeves", by contrast, is an ordinary, traditional English tune, beautiful by itself, but here rendered in a specially haunting, mesmerising way. Only Coltrane could play as he does on this record, and noone else can imitate him successfully on his own ground. This was, and remains, a musical bombshell, and even though Coltrane at times sounds tormented, for sure, he does not make those of his listeners who are attuned to him think of suicide at all. Rather, one is delighted to (try and) follow him in his breathtaking and life-enriching explorations. - Joost Daalder (see more about me)

The fact that this is my desert-isle Coltrane pick has caused some consternation amongst my Trane-devoted friends, but I've stuck by this recording for years. Like the best albums in any genre, it creates and sustains its own mood - a very evocative, transporting, colorful listening experience. Maybe it's the added horn textures that do the trick for me; maybe it's the way Elvin and the bassists lock in on the last take of Africa, or maybe it's the way Trane's yearning sound finds a perfect home over these elastic backdrops. Objectively speaking, this two-disc set does sum up some key operations in Coltrane's oeuvre: there's a 6/8 soprano feature (Greensleeves), a minor blues (um, Blues Minor), an uptempo charger (Song of the Underground Railroad), and a worldly workout (Africa). Each of which can stand with any of Coltrane's other recordings from the early `60s.

The alternate takes are valuable, and no one is forced to listen to all of them in each sitting; the stop/forward/program buttons on CD players are fairly easy to operate. As the Hardy Boys once intoned, it's better to have and not need, than to need and not have. Africa does go thru some notable changes with each take, so why not observe and enjoy the differences? Overall, a very satisfying collection from a most productive musician.

1961. A wonderful year for jazz. Coltrane signs with Impulse!.

This set is a must for a fan of Coltrane, especially if you like the '61 Vanguard tapes. I don't have too much more to say, but, wow. The instrumentation is just genius. We all know that Coltrane was a musical genius, but on this album he shows that his good friend Eric DOlphy (arranger on this album) was as well.