Live at Birdland (John Coltrane album)


Live at Birdland is an album by jazz musician John Coltrane, released in January 1964 by Impulse! Records. Despite its title, only the first three tracks were recorded live at the Birdland club; the rest are studio tracks. Among them is "Alabama", a tribute to four children killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, an attack at a Birmingham, Alabama church by white supremacists. The album's original pressing accidentally included a false start - this was corrected in later copies, but restored in CD editions. The album also features a live recording of "I Want to Talk About You", a song Coltrane had recorded on his 1958 album Soultrane, this time with an extended cadenza.

Track listing

All songs written by John Coltrane except as indicated
  1. "Afro Blue" – 10:50
  2. "I Want to Talk About You" – 8:11
  3. "The Promise" – 8:10
  4. "Alabama" – 5:09
  5. "Your Lady" – 6:39
;Compact Disc bonus track
  2. "Vilia" – 4:36
"Vilia" is the main melodic statement to the Franz Lehár piece "Vivias", set to a swing feel and chord changes. This track was first released on a 1965 compilation by Impulse!

Personnel