Ballads (John Coltrane album)


Ballads is a jazz album by John Coltrane. It was recorded in December 1961 and 1962, and released on the Impulse! label in 1963 as A-32 and later AS-32. Critic Gene Lees stated that the quartet had never played the tunes before. "They arrived with music-store sheet music of the songs" and just before the recordings, they "would discuss each tune, write out copies of the changes they'd use, semi-rehearse for a half hour and then do it". Each piece was recorded in one take, except for "All or Nothing at All". In 2008, the album was a recipient of the Grammy Hall of Fame award.

Track listing

Original

  1. "Say It " – 4:18
  2. "You Don't Know What Love Is" – 5:15
  3. "Too Young to Go Steady" – 4:23
  4. "All or Nothing at All" – 3:39
  5. "I Wish I Knew" – 4:54
  6. "What's New?" – 3:47
  7. "It's Easy to Remember" – 2:49
  8. "Nancy " – 3:10

    2002 deluxe edition

Disc two
  1. "They Say It's Wonderful"
  2. "All or Nothing at All" - Alternate take
  3. "Greensleeves" - Alternate take
  4. "Greensleeves" - Alternate take
  5. "Greensleeves" - Alternate take
  6. "Greensleeves" - Master take
  7. "Greensleeves" - Alternate take
  8. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take
  9. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take
  10. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take
  11. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take
  12. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take
  13. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take
  14. "It's Easy to Remember" - Alternate take

    Personnel