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John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Live in Seattle makes On Milwaukee '2021 vinyl lovers holiday gift guide'

On Milwaukee's Bobby Tanzilo writes…..Here is a walk through some of the most interesting vinyl to land on my doorstep in recent months. Each of the releases would make a perfect holiday gift (they're too big to stuff into stockings) for the music lover on your list. Snuggle up with some holiday cheer as OnMilwaukee shares stories of everything merry and bright in the spirit of the season. For those of us who grew up devouring music on PVC – before the ubiquity of compact discs nearly killed the format (at least in the U.S.; thank the lord for imports!) – the fact that vinyl is outselling CDs these days is as heartwarmingly satisfying as the warmth of analog. Although the cost of vinyl has skyrocketed as part of its return, there are some great high-quality pressings out there of new, but also back catalog releases.

In September 1965, Coltrane and his classic quartet played a stretch in Seattle that was recorded and released posthumously as “Live In Seattle.” But just two days later, on Oct. 2, the Quartet performed the entire “A Love Supreme” album – augmented by Pharaoh Sanders and other musicians – at another Seattle club whose owner wisely recorded the show. Those tapes were discovered after the club owner’s death and they contain only the second known live recording of the landmark “A Love Supreme” in its entirely. This lavish reissue is beautiful to behold, with an essay booklet that explains it all. The music is engaging, at double the length of, and even more intense, than the original studio performance, and the audio surprisingly good considering the amateur source, but don’t expect top-notch studio quality. Still, the opportunity for fans to hear this performance is worth it.

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