Three of the four lengthy performances on
Newport '63 are taken from one of the John Coltrane Quartet's greatest performances: the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival. With pianist
McCoy Tyner, bassist
Jimmy Garrison and drummer
Roy Haynes (filling in for an absent
Elvin Jones),
Coltrane performs what is arguably his greatest version of "My Favorite Things" along with memorable renditions of "Impressions" and "I Want to Talk About You." Two of those selections originally appeared on the LP
Selflessness while "Impressions" was included in a later collection. This set is rounded out by "Chasin' Another Trane," the only recording from
'Trane's famous November 1961 engagement at the Village Vanguard that had
Roy Haynes sitting in for
Elvin Jones; altoist
Eric Dolphy is also heard from on that heated selection. ~ Scott Yanow