Milt Jackson & John Coltrane - Bags & Trane

1. Bags & Trane
2. Three Little Words
3. The Night We Called It A Day
4. Be-Bop
5. The Late Late Blues

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson and tenor saxophonist John Coltrane form a surprisingly complementary team on their only joint studio recording from 1959, even though Coltrane’s musical approach was more modern than Jackson’s. Nevertheless, “Bags” and “Trane” managed to unfold on the LP in an astonishingly lyrical way, thanks in part to the superb support of Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Connie Kay on drums.

Two original Jackson compositions, including the well-known “The Late Late Blues”, and three standards — an exuberant “Three Little Words”, “The Night We Called It a Day” and the fast-paced “Be-Bop” — make up the album’s set list. The highlight is the eponymous opening track, which simply oozes nocturnal coolness. The playful, lively fluidity inherent in “Bags & Trane” delighted many critics and helped the album become a genuine seller.

The attractive deluxe reissue by Analogue Productions, released for the 75th anniversary of Atlantic Records, creates a lasting sonic monument to this gem by the two legendary hard-boppers.