Alice Coltrane
's 1968 solo debut on
Impulse
still stands tall in the artist's excellent discography.
Coltrane
had already gained a considerable education playing in the band of her late husband
John
during one of his boldest and most exploratory periods. The searching quality underpinning the saxophonist's last albums is also present on
A Monastic Trio
, as are the Eastern modalities and the balance between density and expansiveness often associated with
Trane
.
But to consider
's debut a mere offshoot of her late husband's inventions is to do her a great disservice.
distinguishes herself as a composer (all the tunes on the album are hers), and as an instrumentalist (her harp playing, in particular, is noteworthy).
also benefits from a superb personnel list, including
Rashied Ali
on drums,
Jimmy Garrison
on bass, and the irrepressible
Pharoah Sanders
on saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. This recording remains one of the landmark debuts in avant-garde jazz. ~ Rovi Staff