France 1965: The Complete Concerts

Marking 100 years since Coltrane’s birth, Charly Records presents France 1965: The Complete Concerts — a landmark 4LP deluxe set housed in a gatefold package with photographs, a concert poster, and new liner notes. This historic collection brings together, for the first time ever, the complete series of performances by the revered John Coltrane Quartet in France in July 1965, capturing the original “classic quartet” lineup — John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums) — during their final European tour together. A Historic Moment in Jazz History. In July 1965, Coltrane and his group were booked for three extraordinary performances in France: July 26 — International Jazz Festival, Juan-les-Pins, Antibes. July 27 — International Jazz Festival, Juan-les-Pins, Antibes. July 28 — Salle Pleyel, Paris. On July 26, the quartet performed the only complete live version of A Love Supreme ever known to have been played by the original lineup. Previously believed lost to time, the Charly Records archivists have painstakingly recovered and restored the full performance, long thought to survive only in a brief French TV excerpt. A Love Supreme — Reborn. Recorded just seven months after Coltrane entered Rudy Van Gelder’s studio to record A Love Supreme (December 9, 1964), these performances offer a transcendent continuation of that spiritual masterpiece. Coltrane described A Love Supreme as an offering of faith — “a humble attempt to say ‘thank you, God.’” In France, that devotion reached the stage: extended improvisations, spiritual intensity, and collective telepathy between four musicians at their creative and emotional peak.The Complete French Tour — Finally United. While fragments of these concerts have appeared over the years on scattered CD and vinyl releases, France 1965: The Complete Concerts marks the first time every note from this historic tour is presented together and in full fidelity. Across four LPs, listeners will experience:- The complete “A Love Supreme” suite, performed live for the first and only time. - Powerful renditions of “Naima,” “My Favorite Things,” “Impressions,” “Ascension,” and “Afro Blue.” - Coltrane’s bold reinterpretations of familiar material as he edged toward the free jazz revolution that would define his final years. An Essential Bridge Between Eras. These recordings document Coltrane’s crucial transitional phase — balancing the lyricism and structure of his early work with the boundless exploration that would characterize his late period with Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane. The result is an unprecedented portrait of an artist and ensemble on the threshold of transformation — spiritually charged, deeply focused, and utterly fearless. A significant archival jazz release — a once-lost moment in history, released in celebration of Coltrane’s centenary.