The John Coltrane Quartet - Africa/Brass (Mono Vinyl LP | Philips Germany | 1961)

The John Coltrane Quartet – Africa/Brass was John Coltrane's first album for Impulse! and came out in September 1961. It was recorded on May 23 and June 7, 1961 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, produced by Creed Taylor with Rudy Van Gelder engineering. Coltrane's quartet with McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman and Elvin Jones is joined by a large brass section, arranged by Eric Dolphy and McCoy Tyner. This copy is a German mono pressing on Philips (P 632 060 L) from the year of release, 1961.

Pressing details

• Label / Cat. no.: Philips P 632 060 L
• Format: Vinyl LP, album, mono
• Pressing: German Philips pressing
• Country: Germany
• Year: 1961
• Genre: Jazz, Rare & Collectable, Modal, hard bop, free jazz

Condition

• Condition: Second hand
• Media: NM- (tiny sticker on label)
• Cover: VG+ (hype sticker on front; some corner wear)

Graded to Goldmine standard (see Vinyl Grading). The images are our own scans of the actual copy for sale (SKU S AF).

Tracklist

Side A

1. Africa (John Coltrane)

Side B

1. Greensleeves (Traditional, arr. McCoy Tyner)
2. Blues Minor (John Coltrane)

Personnel

Core (both sessions): John Coltrane (tenor and soprano saxophone), Booker Little (trumpet), Julius Watkins, Bob Northern, Robert Swisshelm (French horn), Bill Barber (tuba), Pat Patrick (baritone saxophone), Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute), McCoy Tyner (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), Elvin Jones (drums).

May 23, 1961 (Greensleeves), added: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Julian Priester, Charles Greenlee (euphonium), Jim Buffington (French horn), Garvin Bushell (piccolo, woodwinds), Paul Chambers (bass). June 7, 1961 (Africa, Blues Minor), added: Britt Woodman (trombone), Donald Corrado (French horn), Carl Bowman (euphonium), Art Davis (bass on Africa).

Producer: Creed Taylor; engineer: Rudy Van Gelder; arrangements: Eric Dolphy, McCoy Tyner.

FAQ

Is this the original pressing?
The first release came out on Impulse! in the US in 1961. This record is the contemporary German licensed edition on Philips from the same year, in mono.

Why mono?
In 1961 many jazz albums were offered in both mono and stereo. This German Philips edition is the mono version; early mono pressings like this one are sought after by collectors.

What does Media NM- / Cover VG+ mean?
NM- (Near Mint minus) means close to new with at most minimal signs of use. VG+ (Very Good Plus) means light signs of use that barely affect playback or overall appearance. All grades are explained on our Vinyl Grading page.

Do you have more John Coltrane records?
Yes, for example another copy of Africa/Brass and John Coltrane – My Favorite Things. More titles are in our Jazz collection.