John Coltrane- Meditations (Verve Vault Series)

Label: Impulse!

Reissued 8/14/2026, Originally released 1966

Meditations, released in 1966 on Impulse! Records, captures John Coltrane's late-period quartet in transition — expanding into new sonic territory while retaining the core intensity of his classic lineup. Recorded on November 23, 1965, at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio with producer Bob Thiele, the session includes both Coltrane's long-standing quartet and new collaborators who would shape his music's final phase. The personnel unites pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones with additional voices: tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drummer Rashied Ali. This expanded ensemble offers a denser, more turbulent soundscape, foreshadowing Coltrane's move toward freer and more spiritual explorations. Across the suite-like program — including "The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost," "Compassion," and "Love" — the music flows as a continuous meditation on transcendence and collective expression.

Track listing:

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