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Condition: Brand new - Factory sealed

Artist: Coltrane Quartet, John
Title: Ballads
Format: LP (180 gram vinyl)
Label: IMPULSE
Catalog Number: GR-156
Barcode: 011105015615
Genre: JAZZ

Tracklist
A1. Say It (Over And Over Again) 4:15
A2. You Don't Know What Love Is 5:11
A3. Too Young To Go Steady 4:20
A4. All Or Nothing At All 3:35
B1. I Wish I Knew 4:54
B2. What's New 3:43
B3. It's Easy To Remember 2:45
B4. Nancy (With The Laughing Face) 3:09

Personnel includes: John Coltrane (soprano & tenor saxophone);
McCoy Tyner (piano); Jimmy Garrison (bass); Elvin Jones (drums).
Producer: Bob Thiele.
Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey between December 21, 1961 and November 13, 1962.

Album Notes

BALLADS (1962) finds John Coltrane's classic quartet (which includes bassist Jimmy Garrison, pianist McCoy Tyner, and drummer Elvin Jones) gathering force as a unit and turning their skills to a softer, warmer sound than is usually be found on the team's recordings from the time. Some critics accused Coltrane of capitulating to commercial pressures with this release, but that reaction overlooks the gorgeous performances on "You Don't Know What Love Is," "I Wish I Knew," and others. A beautiful album, and a great entry point for those who might otherwise find Coltrane's '60s work too abrasive.
During the early '60s, the contentious critical reaction to John Coltrane's music got so over-the-top that some reactionaries branded his work with Eric Dolphy as "anti-jazz." Having already recorded the exploratory AFRICA/BRASS and LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, Coltrane went along with producer Bob Thiele's suggestion that he do an album of BALLADS to silence nay-sayers once and for all.
BALLADS, DUKE ELLINGTON & JOHN COLTRANE and JOHN COLTRANE AND JOHNNY HARTMAN for a triptych of "traditional" recordings, italicizing the saxophonist's ability to swing in a classic vein, while underscoring his sensitivity as a ballad player. He even managed to impress the moldy fig who penned the original liner notes to BALLADS.
From the gentle opening strains of "Say It (Over And Over Again)," the saxophonist imparts all the tender yearning and romantic empathy of a mature, compassionate adult. Given his predilection for technical complexities, Coltrane avoids any hint of emotional grandstanding, allowing only for subtle melodic embellishments. On "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "What's New" he displays a glorious tone, achieving a remarkably human vocal timbre in the upper registers, indulging in more pronounced harmonic variations, as the Tyner-Garrison-Jones rhythm axis subtly shifts gears to accomodate these intricacies. Without straying far from the basic themes or giving in to cheap sentiment, the saxophonist sustains a gorgeous melodic focus throughout BALLADS, marking this recital as another John Coltrane masterpiece.

Editorial Reviews
4 Stars - Very Good - ...BALLADS...has always been about the celebration of pitch and melody. The band...hadn't played any of the tunes prior, but its proficiency leaned toward perfection.
Down Beat (11/01/1995)

4 Stars - Excellent - ...a hard, unfaltering attack and furiously intense, extended improvisations that bordered on free-jazz. BALLADS was a timely reminder of the tenor saxophonist's matchless lyricism and exquisite tone...
Q (10/01/1995)

4 stars out of 5 - ...This music sounds even fresher today than when it was recorded at the dawn of the '60s...
Uncut (03/01/2003)

Shipping

City Hall Records has designed a special cardboard mailer with extra protective spaces on the corners.  Your record will also be insulated with thick cardboard pads and packed tightly to avoid movement during shipping.  We understand that you want your LPs to arrive in the condition described.  Over 7,000 shipments have produced only praise for our packing methods. 

Our average time to ship is within 1 business day after receipt of your payment.  Most US shipments are delivered within 10 days but Media Mail varies; please allow up to 15 business days before calling it late.

To get combined shipping rate (Request total from seller)

After you’ve used the Add To Cart button on each item:

1. Look at the bottom of your cart page.

2. If you see a discounted shipping amount listed in green, then you are all set to Proceed To Checkout.

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4. Review your order details and submit your request for a new total.  You may also add a message if you have any questions or requests.

Wait for us to modify the shipping rate on the invoice which we will send you the first business day after you've done this.

 

Sealed LP Inspection Service

Since all of our items are factory sealed we cannot be fully responsible for the condition of the invisible part, unless you ask us to inspect it.  Even though incorrect, defective or damaged product is very rare, we highly recommend that you allow us to inspect your item before we ship it.  Just let us know by writing INSPECT in the note to seller box when paying via PayPal.

 

If there is something wrong with your record that could only have been seen by such inspection, and you did not request it, we will not be responsible for the cost of shipping the faulty product back here, or for the shipping of a replacement item to you. We will replace the faulty item, however, as long as you pay for these freight costs.

Also, many LP buyers prefer to have the disc shipped outside the jacket to minimize damage to the jacket.  If you have requested that we inspect the disc, then we will pack it outside the jacket.

International Customers

International customers; the rates shown for shipping do not apply to you.  Please input your country on the "Shipping and payments" tab above to see the rates.  If you intend on buying more than 1 LP, please  please allow us to invoice you at the time of your purchase so that you can get the best deal.

If you're in a country other than U.S. or Canada, please note you'll get the best per-unit price and fastest delivery on your LP shipments by ordering at least 4 discs at a time.

We enclose an actual invoice with your shipment and do not falsify customs valuations.

If you are at an address where there are customs duties, and you have ordered an amount that puts you just over the limit for avoidance of such duties, we are willing to do you the service of discounting the merchandise a little upon request, if you will allow us to make up for it with an equivalent increase in shipping and handling fees. We would want your agreement to give us good rankings for fair shipping/handling fees in such instances.

Please Note: Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.

Insurance

Like all eBay sellers, we're required to ensure that every shipment reaches the buyer in good condition. For that reason every eBay seller is self-insuring, and must build that cost into their selling price and/or shipping/handling fees. Nevertheless, if you wish to buy your own insurance, you may. Simply ask us to include insurance prior to payment.

 

Domestic Insurance Prices:

Insurance Coverage Desired   Price

$0.01 to $50                            $1.75

$50.01 to $10                          $2.25

$100.01 to $200                      $2.75

$200.01 to $300                      $4.70

$300.01 to $400                      $5.70

$500.01 to $600                      $6.70

Priority Mail International Insurance Prices (only offered with Priority Mail Int’l):

Indemnity Limit Not Over       Canada                        All Other Countries

$50.00                                     $1.75                           $2.50

$100.00                                   $2.25                           $3.40

$200.00                                   $2.75                           $4.40

$300.00                                   $4.70                           $5.40

$400.00                                   $5.70                           $6.40

$500.00                                   $6.70                           $7.40

Operations

We're very happy to have earned 100% customer satisfaction and are dedicated to keeping it that way!  If you have an issue, please contact us immediately.  We're friendly and will do everything we can to resolve it.

City Hall Records hours of operation:
Shipping Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM (Pacific)
Questions received during the week before 12PM will be answered the same day.
Questions received over the weekend will be answered by Monday.

City Hall Records
101 Glacier Point, Suite C
San Rafael, CA 94901
U.S.A.

 

***PLEASE NOTE: THE USPS IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING LONGER THAN NORMAL DELIVERY TIMES.  Please anticipate the possibility of up to 5 business days for Priority Mail delivery and 30 days for Media Mail.***