John Coltrane - Meditations (Verve Vault Series) (LP)

Following the genre-redefining revelations of 'A Love Supreme' in 1965, John Coltrane began a dramatic shift toward spiritual free jazz, abandoning familiar forms in favour of a more abstract sonic palette and bold questions he'd spend the rest of his life and career pursuing.

'Meditations', released by Impulse! in 1966, continues that emotional throughline while retaining, for the last time in full, the classic quartet that propelled Trane to greatness: pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. (They're further augmented by Pharoah Sanders on tenor sax and additional drummer Rashied Ali). 'Meditations' pushes Coltrane's spiritual jazz into heightened realms of energy and abstraction - a powerful document of transformation, intensity, and devotion in Coltrane's recorded legacy.

1 The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost
2 Compassion
3 Love
4 Consequences
5 Serenity.