Impressions By John Coltrane

Released in July 1963, “Impressions” is a compilation of recordings from various sessions between 1961 and 1963 of John Coltrane. The album showcases the range of Coltrane’s musical interests, from modal jazz and hard bop to ballads, reflecting his evolving style during the early 1960s and received positive reviews for its adventurous spirit and technical brilliance. Critics and fans alike praise the album for capturing a pivotal moment in Coltrane’s career as he moved towards more experimental and spiritual jazz.

John Coltrane - Impressions (Reissued by Ermitage Records)

The early 1960s were a period of significant evolution for Coltrane. Having recently left Miles Davis’s sextet, Coltrane was delving deeper into modal jazz, a style that focuses on scales (or modes) rather than traditional chord progressions. This period saw Coltrane pushing the boundaries of jazz with extended solos, complex improvisations, and a deeper spiritual search, which would later culminate in his iconic album “A Love Supreme”.

Coltrane was heavily influenced by Indian music, particularly the work of sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. This influence is evident in “India,” which uses a drone-like bass line and a modal structure reminiscent of Indian ragas. Coltrane’s exploration of non-Western music traditions added a new dimension to his work, enhancing the album’s innovative quality, a landmark album that captures John Coltrane at a critical point in his artistic development.

Album: John Coltrane - Impressions
Label: Ermitage Records - VNL 22693
UPC: 3770024956931
FORMAT: LP, Vinyl, 12", Stereo, YELLOW VINYL, IMPORT
Year of Production: 1963
GENRE: Jazz
STYLE: Hard Bop, Modal

Tracklisting:

Side 1
1. India
2. Up 'Gainst the Wall

Side 2
1. Impressions
2. After The Rain

Ermitage Records is one of the longest-running independent record labels specializing in classical and jazz music.  Born in the mid-eighties with the publication of some vinyl records by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, it later released CDs of the world’s leading opera, symphonic and chamber artists.

It has always stood out for the quality of its recordings, the careful selection of its repertoire and the care of its editions. Thanks to its constant commitment to the enhancement and publication of musical heritage, the label has become an important point of reference for collectors and music enthusiasts from all over the world.
 

Along with names such as *Rubinstein*, *Callas*, *Pollini*, *Benedetti Michelangeli* and *Segovia*, over the years the label’s production - distributed in Europe, Japan and the USA - has expanded to artists such as Lucio Dalla, Eugenio Finardi or Stefano Bollani.

In addition to CD titles, Ermitage Records offers for some years reissues in vinyl 180 grams of jazz classics (with names such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker), classical music (Italian Quartet, I Musici and others) and of Italian signwriting (Endrigo, Gaber, Jannacci, Tenco) with remarkable success. With a library of over 400 titles marketed on its own and under license, Ermitage Records also produces editorial series for important Italian newspapers such as Il Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica and for other editorial groups such as Mondadori, RCS, Hobby & Work.