JAZZ : The Essential John Coltrane on CD

John Coltrane’s primary recording career was decidedly brief: It began in 1955 with albums he made with Miles Davis for Prestige Records and concluded with “Interstellar Space,” an album on the Impulse! label recorded only a few months before he died in 1967.

Fortunately, Coltrane recorded prolifically--more than 70 Coltrane CDs are currently available, though many of these are from live concerts and are no doubt duplicates. Happily, most of his oeuvre is simply first-rate.

Here are some of the tenor saxophonist’s finest recorded moments. Unless noted, he is the leader on all sessions.

“Workin’ ” (Davis, Prestige, 1955). Coltrane’s hurly-burly intensity, which would turn all but explosive in a few years, is already present on such tracks as “Four” and “Half Nelson.”

“Blue Trane” (Blue Note Records, 1957). This album, which features trumpeter Lee Morgan, was the saxophonist’s lone effort for this famed label and is highlighted by three classics: the title track and the harmonically arduous “Lazybird” and “Moment’s Notice.” Coltrane delivered several note-heavy essays that are nonetheless very accessible.

“The Prestige Recordings” (1956-58). A must for the serious collector, this 16-disc set reveals a rapidly developing Coltrane, who, to an even greater degree than on “Blue Trane,” traded in his unique style of lyrical, swinging improvisation for one that was, more often than not, centered on wildly careening gushes. Individual recommended albums from this period that are represented here: “Lush Life,” “Traneing In,” “The Stardust Sessions” and “Black Pearls.”

“Kind of Blue” (Davis, Columbia Records, 1959). This is the album that introduced modal jazz, in which the solo sections, instead of being underpinned by a series of chords, were shored by one or two. “So What” is one timeless number from this gorgeous set, “Flamenco Sketches” is another, and all the tracks showcase Coltrane’s melodic bent.

“The Best of John Coltrane” (Atlantic Records, 1959-60). Two groundbreaking staples of the Coltrane repertoire are included here. First, there’s the 1959 flag-waver “Giant Steps,” a tune that is the epitome of harmonic density (with a new chord almost every two beats) and that exhibits Coltrane’s phenomenal control of his instrument. Then there’s 1960’s “My Favorite Things,” the track that thrust Coltrane into popular awareness and that finds him playing soprano sax on top of a swaying one-chord platform.

“Live at Village Vanguard” (Impulse! Records, 1961). Coltrane’s famed quartet--with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones--is augmented by Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, bass clarinet and flute for performances of “India” and “Spiritual,” tunes that expanded the chord-less direction established by “My Favorite Things” and that exemplified the leader’s enchantment with the music of India.

“Ballads” (Impulse!, 1961-62). Although during this period Coltrane was increasingly relinquishing the restraints imposed by the Tin Pan Alley song form, he proved with this compelling package that he still loved to play with a resounding mellifluousness. Among the selections: “It’s Easy to Remember,” “I Wish I Knew” and “What’s New.”

“The Gentle Side of John Coltrane” (Impulse!, 1961-63). A terrific 13-track anthology that includes tracks from “Crescent,” “Ballads” and other albums and that emphasizes Coltrane’s lyrical aspect. His band mates include pianist Duke Ellington and singer Johnny Hartman.

“Impressions” (Impulse!, 1961-63). The title track, composed by the hornman and built on a structure similar to “So What,” runs close to 15 minutes and is vintage high-voltage Coltrane.

“Crescent” (Impulse!, 1963). “Crescent” and “The Wise One”--two exploratory, spiritually tinged pieces--find Coltrane embarking on improvisations that sound remarkably like beseeching prayers, while “Bessie’s Blues” is just plain hard blowing.

“A Love Supreme” (Impulse!, 1963). With this album, which Coltrane dedicated to God, the saxophonist opened the door to the freewheeling, unfettered improvisations that characterized the work of his last years.

“The Major Works of John Coltrane: ‘Ascension,’ ‘Om,’ ‘Kulu Se Mama,’ ‘Selflessness”’ (Impulse!, 1965). For the adventurous. Coltrane and company--Freddie Hubbard, Archie Shepp and others--blow out all the stops.