John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman

This album is Mastered for iTunes. Impulse! Records’ ideas for bringing John Coltrane to a larger audience in the early ’60s were highlighted by this pairing with connoisseurs’ favourite Hartman. The baritone drew on a deep well of emotion, which made him and Coltrane’s tenor sax a great match. The album’s highlight, of course, is a powerful version of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”. Hartman and Coltrane make the most of one of the 20th Century’s finest songs, shading it with musical and emotional colours that few artists even imagine. It hardly ends there, with the pair making thoughtful visits with “They Say It’s Wonderful” and “My One and Only Love”. More intimate than Sinatra’s orchestrated gems, the Coltrane and Hartman release hits a similar peak of style and expression.