John Coltrane - Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings (Vinyl)

John Coltrane's Prestige recordings have been repackaged many times, beginning with a series of LPs released in the 1960s, long after he left the label. As far as the calendar goes, Coltrane wasn't with the label long, playing as a sideman in 1957, then spending 1958 as a leader. Only Soultrane came out during '58, with Standard Coltrane, Stardust, Bahia, and Dakar appearing much later, after Coltrane became a reliable star. Back in 1991, Fantasy packaged up everything in the 16-CD box The Prestige Recordings, and that hefty set became the standard bearer for Coltrane's Prestige sessions, but Craft's 2019 set Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings benefits from its narrow focus. Concentrating entirely on Coltrane's sessions as a leader during 1958, this box -- available either as a five-CD or eight-LP set -- marches through the year, presenting each session in chronological order. Even if this music is firmly anchored in swinging hard bop, this sequencing highlights Coltrane's rapid evo