''Ballads'' is a jazz album by

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...

released in January 1963 by

Impulse! Records Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positiv ...

. It was recorded in December 1961 and 1962, and released with catalogue number A-32 (mono) and AS-32 (stereo). Critic

Gene Lees Frederick Eugene John Lees (February 8, 1928 – April 22, 2010) was a Canadian music critic, biographer, lyricist, and journalist. Lees worked as a newspaper journalist in his native Canada before moving to the United States, where he was a music ...

stated that the quartet had never played the tunes before. "They arrived with music-store sheet music of the songs" and just before the recordings, they "would discuss each tune, write out copies of the changes they'd use, semi-rehearse for a half hour and then do it". Each piece was recorded in one take, except for "All or Nothing at All". In 2008, the album was a recipient of the

Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...

award.Grammy Hall of Fame website
retrieved 9 November 2013.

Track listing

Original

# "Say It (Over and Over Again)" (

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, Ju ...

)– 4:18 # "

You Don't Know What Love Is "You Don't Know What Love Is" is a popular song of the Great American Songbook, written by Don Raye (lyrics) and Gene de Paul (music) for the Abbott and Costello film '' Keep 'Em Flying'' (1941), in which it was sung by Carol Bruce. The song was ...

" (

Gene DePaul Gene Vincent de Paul (June 17, 1919 – February 27, 1988) was an American pianist, composer and songwriter. Biography Born in New York City, he served in the United States Army during World War II. He was married to Billye Louise Files (Novem ...

)– 5:15 # "Too Young to Go Steady" (

)– 4:23 # "

All or Nothing at All "All or Nothing at All" is a song composed in 1939 by Arthur Altman, with lyrics by Jack Lawrence. Frank Sinatra recording Frank Sinatra's August 31, 1939 recording of the song, accompanied by Harry James and his Orchestra was a huge hit in 194 ...

" (

Arthur Altman Arthur Altman (1910, in Brooklyn – January 18, 1994, in Lake Worth, Florida) was an American songwriter whose credits include " All or Nothing at All", with lyrics by Jack Lawrence, and the lyrics for " All Alone Am I", "I Will Follow Him", a ...

)– 3:39 # "I Wish I Knew" ( Harry Warren)– 4:54 # "

What's New? What's New?" is a 1939 popular song composed by Bob Haggart, with lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was originally an instrumental tune titled "I'm Free" by Haggart in 1938, when Haggart was a member of Bob Crosby and His Orchestra. The tune was writt ...

" ( Bob Haggart)– 3:47 # " It's Easy to Remember" ( Richard Rodgers)– 2:49 # " Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" ( Jimmy Van Heusen)– 3:10

2002 deluxe edition

Disc two # "They Say It's Wonderful" # "

" - Alternate take # "Greensleeves" - Alternate take # "Greensleeves" - Alternate take # "Greensleeves" - Alternate take # "Greensleeves" - Master take # "Greensleeves" - Alternate take # " It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take # "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take # "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take # "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take # "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take # "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take # "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take

Personnel

–

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Master and five-time Gram ...

–

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

* Jimmy Garrison (#1-6, 8),

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey. Career Early in his career, Workman wo ...

(#7; Disc 2, #3-14) – bass *

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

– drums

Production

Rudy Van Gelder Rudolph Van Gelder (November 2, 1924 – August 25, 2016) was an American recording engineer who specialized in jazz. Over more than half a century, he recorded several thousand sessions, with musicians including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Theloni ...

– recording engineer * Jim Marshall – photography

References

1963 albums Impulse! Records albums John Coltrane albums Albums produced by Bob Thiele Albums recorded at Van Gelder Studio {{1960s-jazz-album-stub