Branford Marsalis Quartet: A Love Supreme

This incendiary performance from a 2003 European tour is being reissued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John Coltrane’s masterwork. In tackling such a transcendent, groundbreaking piece of music, Marsalis and his crew (pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis, drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts) were tasked with capturing the spiritual essence of the profoundly moving suite while putting their own print on it. And while following the guidelines set by Trane through the four movements, they do indeed find room for fresh motifs and personal interpretation. This is most evident on the swinging, blues-tinged “Resolution,” the emotionally- charged apex of the suite, which has the crowd shouting out ecstatically after powerful solos by Calderazzo and Marsalis. In terms of sheer burn, it’s hard to top the quartet’s rendition of “Pursuance.” Paced by Revis’ insistent walking in tandem with Tain’s relentless ride cymbal, this super- charged playing showcases Calderazzo’s McCoy Tyner-inspired harmonic stabs with his left hand and lightning-fast runs with his right. Marsalis follows with some white-hot solo fusillades of his own, culminating in a torrid tenor-drums breakdown with Tain. After that energetic barrage, the quartet settles into the calming pedal point piece “Psalm” to conclude the majestic journey.