Customer Reviews
A deeply moving album by John Coltrane's classic quartet - By: Jazzrook, 22 May 2006 
This is one of my favourite studio albums by the John Coltrane quartet and,in some ways, preferable to his famous 'A Love Supreme' which was recorded a few months later.
Coltrane isin a melancholy & meditative mood & his tenor sounds majestic on the profound 'Wise One'. 'Lonnie's Lament' is a lyrical & haunting piece, while 'The Drum Thing' is a fascinating feature for the astonishingly polyrhythmic Elvin Jones.
Allin all, a deeply moving album by this beautifully integrated quartet & 'Crescent' is an essential CD for anyone who has 'A Love Supreme'in their collection.
The best album by the Classic 'Trane quartet. - By: , 18 Jun 2004 This CD was recorded within months of the more celebrated "A Love Supreme" and, because of this fact , remained over-looked at the time. Clearly the classic Quartet had reached it's zenith around this time & it is my contention that as good as the more famous record is, this is,in fact, the superior effort.
Part of my reasoning stems from the fact the "A Love Supreme" ends of any anti-climax (even if you believe that the solo is an "instrumental" incantation of the poem enclosed within the album sleeve) especially after the barn-storming central movements. "Crescent" leaves you wanting more & has a more varied programme including the atmospheric "The drum thing", the soon to be jazz standard "Lonnie's Lament" & the terrific "Bessie's Blues." On top of this, the album includes "Wise One", perhaps the apogee of Coltrane's playing on record.
"Crescent" eschews the rather dated spritual trappings that slightly mars "A Love Supreme" for me & consequently is much better for this. If this record contained "Wise One" alone, it would be worth while buying. Since the disc is a model of consistency through-out, it must be considered an essential purchasein the same league as other 'Trane classics such as "Giant Steps." One of the most under-rated jazz albums from the 1960's.
As good as Kind of Blue - By: D. Eves, 06 Apr 2002 Recorded shortly before Love Supreme this album is just sublime. Coltrane exudes passion but never lets down his guard. The album feels as good as A Kind of Blue & because of Love Supreme it is often overlooked. Buy it - you'll not regret it!
