Called Coltrane’s lost album, “Both Directions at Once” was recorded in the early ‘60s during his Classic Quartet period but would not see publishing until 2018. It was recorded in the period after the release of “Coltrane” which at the time saw heavy criticism from largely white critics seeking more traditional jazz. His label, Impulse! Records saw to it that Coltrane’s next three releases would reign it in resulting with “Ballads,” “Duke Ellington and John Coltrane” and “John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.” This lost album would be recorded literally the day after the latter album was completed. It’s a snapshot of Coletrane’s pent-up creativity released, taking the jazz star out to lunch before his magnum opus, “A Love Supreme.”
The most celebrated jazz saxophonist in the history of the genre, John Coltrane pioneered the genre of modal jazz with the help of Miles Davis and directly developed free jazz. He also worked closely with great jazz pianist Thelonious Monk and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Following his recovery from heroin addiction, Coltrane became a very spiritual man. His newfound faith bled into some of his greatest '60s-era work. He died of liver cancer at 40 but changed the course of jazz and mainstream music as a whole during his short life.
