These half-dozen tracks from November 30, 1956 -- containing what would be
John Coltrane's final studio outing of the year -- find the tenor saxophonist in the company of
Tadd Dameron (piano),
John Simmons (bass), and
Philly Joe Jones (drums). Recordings have been issued with
Coltrane's name outranking or insinuating that he is the session leader. However
Dameron not only offers up some exceptional interplay against
Coltrane, the pianist actually supplied 10-percent of the top-shelf material. The unmistakable rat-a-tat-tat of
Philly Joe Jones opens the exotic "Mating Call."
Dameron almost immediately responds on the seductive verse that sets the pace.
Coltrane bursts through with confident soul as
Dameron occasionally interjects his own animated punctuation. By comparison, the pianist takes his turn with consideration and subdued introspection. Yet
Dameron steers clear of a mini duet between himself and
Jones prior to the final reprise of the chorus. As a sidebar: parties who revel in the production work of
Rudy Van Gelder are encouraged to spin "Mating Call"'s echoplex-laden fade out for some old-school excitement.