Billboard : 01/27/1958
Special Merit Jazz Album

A provocative item in the hard, modern idiom, most notable for tenorist Coltrane‘s arresting solo continuity. Obviously moved by vibrant, creative rhythm playing – Paul Chambers, (Philly) Joe Jones, Kenny Drew – trumpeter Lee Morgan and trombonist C. Fuller also turn in top performances. Try Blue Train or Lazy Bird for demonstration.

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Cashbox : 02/22/1958

The tenor saxist has an expert support cast as he swings through the sessions. Coltrane, along with such noted jazz mainstays as trombonist Curtis Fuller, trumpeter Lee Morgan, and “Philly” Joe Jones on drums, presents five numbers, four of which are originals. The lone standard, I’m Old Fashioned, receives a feelingful treatment from the musicians. Fine individual and collective performances.

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American Record Guide
Martin Williams : March, 1958
A review of both Blue Train and Lee Morgan’s The Cooker

The Coltrane record is exceptional for the very powerful solo that the tenor saxist has has on the title blues. Coltrane’s playing has improved remarkably in the past year or so and is now a unique combination of energy and fluency and a haunting tonality and harmonic sense. One might call it a projection of the qualities of much elementary blues guitar. His faults show on some of the four other tracks: he still approaches each number as a kind of expanding suitcase into which he puts great chunks of what he can play and project. That he needn’t do this shows on the opening chorus of I’m Old Fashioned. Trombonist Curtis Fuller makes promisingly robust restatements of J.J. Johnson originals with conviction, except on I’m Old Fashioned. Already, nineteen year-old Lee Morgan has shown a promising ability to fuse the virtuoso side of “modern” trumpet (Gillespie, Navarro) with the most lyric conception (Miles Davis), in a sense taking this problem up where Clifford Brown left it. One could point to his (fleeting to be sure) trouble with time, to his weakness at sustaining slow tempos (on Blue Train he clearly double-times, Coltrane plays against the rhythm’s double time; his Lover Man doesn’t hold up very well). But all that is perhaps beside the real point: he has (or surely will soon have) the equipment to say a lot of things. Coltrane’s problem is that though he has something to say and is rapidly gaining the equipment to say it, he may just gush it all out. Morgan’s is that he does not yet have very much to say. But that is no censure at his age. Pepper Adams was voted somebody-or-other’s “new star” on baritone sax. Here he hardly seems to have been ready for that honor – I am thinking of his ideas and of his execution on Just One Of Those Things.

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Audio
Charles A. Robertson : May, 1958
Reviewing Blue Train and With the Red Garland Trio (Prestige 7123)

The emergence of John Coltrane as an important voice on the tenor sax is one of the most happy events of the past two seasons. It began during his stay with Miles Davis and reached full flower during his association with Thelonious Monk. His resultant engagement as a leader of studio groups is enabling him to reach new heights of personal expression, as exemplified by these two settings. At the head of a sextet, he makes Blue Train an impressive revelation of his deep roots in the blues. One of his four originals in the set, it allows for a round of exchanges by Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and a superbly timed interlude by pianist Kenny Drew. A bowed solo by Paul Chambers on bass enlightens Moment’s Notice, and drummer Philly Joe Jones sets an infectious pace on Locomotion. A slow, melodic treatment is given I’m Old Fashioned, and Lazy Bird flows smoothly.

On the trio session, he rejoins Chambers and pianist Red Garland of his days with Miles Davis, plus Art Taylor on drums. The firmness of his statements on Traneing In permits the rhythm members to contribute much more than support. With no need to bolster Coltrane’s solos or feed his flow of ideas, they make good use of their freedom. Alonzo Levister‘s absorbing and moody Slow Dance makes for a rewarding group effort. Chambers is featured on Bass Blues, and the ballads show Coltrane in two different approaches. He is most vocal on a slow You Leave Me Breathless, and charges with intensity through Soft Lights and Sweet Music.

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High Fidelity
John S. Wilson : March, 1958

Coltrane‘s hard, fierce tone slashes through this disc like an urgent hack saw, but he is completely overshadowed by young Lee Morgan‘s fantastic excursions on trumpet. Morgan’s horn crackles and roars through the up-tempo selections which, fortunately, dominate the disc. The single ballad in the set is as tedious as these affairs usually are in the hands of such hard-toned modernists.

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San Francisco Examiner
C.H. Garrigues : 10/12/1958

What is there to say except that Coltrane is still the best tenor man in the business, that his tone gets better month by month (more lyrical without loss of strength), that his inventiveness never flags and he swings solidly from the ground? The others on the disc are Lee Morgan, Fuller, Drew, Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. Jazzmen and dedicated fans will consider this a “must”, beginners may want to take it sparingly.

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Washington Post
Paul Sampson : 03/02/1958

John Coltrane, who continues to develop as one of the leading tenor saxophonists, can be heard in two first-rate new LPs, John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio (Prestige 7123) and Blue Train (Blue Note 1577).

In the Prestige LP, Coltrane gets unerring rhythmic support from Garland‘s trio, which includes Paul Chambers and Arthur Taylor, in addition, Garland, a superb pianist, turns in some swinging, beautifully organized solos, notably on the medium-fast blues Trancing In.

Coltrane is uniquely expressive on all the selections, combining an individual sound, a fresh conception and passion in such things as the directly stated ballad You Leave Me Breathless, the very fast and exciting Soft Lights and Sweet Music and Bass Blues in which Chambers takes a fine bowed solo.

In the Blue Note LP, Coltrane is joined by Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Kenny Drew, Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. After Coltrane, the exciting, slashing Lee Morgan is the best soloist (listen to him on Moment’s Notice). Coltrane does especially well on Blue Train, a good blues, and Locomotion.

I prefer the Prestige LP, mainly because of Red Garland, but both are highly recommended.

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Liner Notes by Robert Levin

John Coltrane has often been called a ”searching” musician. His literally wailing – sound-spearing, sharp and resonant creates what might best described as an ominous atmosphere that seems to suggest (from a purely emotional standpoint) a kind of intense probing into things far off, unknown and mysterious. Admittedly such a description is valid only in a personal way but “searching” remains applicable to Trane in view of actual fact. He is constantly seeking out new ways to extend his form of expression – practicing continually, listening to what other people are doing, adding, rejecting, assimilating molding a voice that is already one of the most important in modern jazz.

John’s ”sound” as mentioned in the lead is rather unique. It is certainly his most obvious trademark (similar to Dexter Gordon his earliest and strongest influence) but has meaning apart from just a ”different sound.” His way of thinking is at one with his tonal approach. His ideas often seem to run in veering, inconsistent lines appearing at first to lack discipline but, like Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk (two of his closest musical associates, both of whom have been labeled by some as ”eccentric” and/or ”poorly equipped” instrumentalists) John is aware and in control of what he is doing. What may appear to be suddenly rejected is used, rather, as a basis for further exploration.

Born in Hamlet, North Carolina on September 23, 1926 John began his study of music with the alto horn and clarinet when he was fifteen. Later, after a hitch in the Navy, he played with King Kolax, Eddie Vinson (switching to tenor), some spotted gigs with Howard McGhee at the Apollo in New York, Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, Lonnie Slappey in Philadelphia, Guy Crosse in Cleveland, Earl Bostic and Johnny Hodges. In 1955 Trane joined the Miles Davis Quintet for what turned out to be more than a year and a half gig and is currently a member of the Thelonious Monk Quartet. (Incidentally, at this writing, the Monk unit was moving into its fifteenth consecutive week at the hip Five Spot in Greenwich Village). Trane feels that working with Miles and Monk have been “invaluable musical experiences.” His employment with each of these giants has provided him with an education that most musicians could not acquire in a lifetime. In addition Miles, and now Monk (being of this school themselves) have never inhibited John’s musical sense of freedom. He is able to experiment while on the stand with no fear of being called down and with a good chance of being congratulated.

John, though highly self-critical, has broad and varied tastes when it comes to others. His favorites are many; Miles (”His style of playing is very interesting to me. He has a very good knowledge of harmonics and chord structure. I used to talk with him quite often.”), Dizzy, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Joe Gordon, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Sonny Stitt, Cliff Jordan, Monk (“He plays with a whole range of chords. I had never heard anything like it before and I’ve learned a lot from him.”), Red Garland, Kenny Drew, Phineas Newborn, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware,Wilbur Ware], [Artist28043,Earl May[, Cannonball, Jackie McLean, J.J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller and Milt Jackson.

John has recorded previously for Blue Note with Paul Chambers (BLP 1534) and Johnny Griffin (BLP 1559).

Trane selected all the musicians used for this date. Lee Morgan, the exciting Gillespie – Navarro – Brown styled young trumpet player who made his professional debut with Dizzy Gillespie when he was only eighteen and who, in a fantastically short period of time, has become an accepted front-runner on his instrument is also represented on Blue Note with five of his own albums (BLP 1538, BLP 1541, BLP 1557, BLP 1575 and BLP 1578), and with Hank Mobley (BLP 1540).

Curtis Fuller who, next to J.J. Johnson, is for this listener modern jazzdom‘s top trombonist can be heard on his own LPs (BLP BLP 1569 and BLP 1572) and as a sideman with Bud Powell (BLP 1571) and Cliff Jordan (BLP 1565). His conception continues to mature and increase in potency.

The rhythm section, comprised of Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones, is superb. Drew is a blues rooted pianist with a swinging, cohesive technique. Chambers and Jones are known primarily for their sparkling work with Miles Davis. They are both more than familiar with Trane’s style having worked with him for an extensive period and assist in brilliant fashion. Paul fronts his own units on BLP 1534, BLP 1564 and BLP 1569 and is with Kenny Burrell (BLP 1523 and BLP 1543), Lee Morgan (BLP 1541), Hank Mobley (BLP 1540) and Sonny Rollins (BLP 1558). Philly Joe has driven the groups of J. R. Monterose (BLP 1536), Chambers (BLP 1534), Clifford Brown (BLP 1526) and Morgan (BLP 1538).

The four impressive originals in this set are by Coltrane. The title number, Blue Train, is a moving, eerie blues. Trane rides swiftly down a lonesome track with Lee and Curtis shoveling extra coal into the boiler near the end of his solo. Lee follows with an energetic statement and is succeeded by a gutty Fuller. John and Lee riff behind Curtis just before he gives way to funky Kenny Drew. Chambers takes a brief but effective solo before the group returns to the theme.

Moment’s Notice is a happy romper with expressive solos by Coltrane, Fuller, Morgan, Chambers (bowed) and Drew.

Locomotion, an uptempo blues begins with a rocking drum statement and a unison riff theme with Coltrane taking off on several “breaks” in between the repeated pattern before moving into his actual solo which, like those of Fuller, Morgan, Drew and Jones who follow, is played in a hard, slashing fashion.

I’m Old Fashioned, a pretty, old popular song that was suggested to Trane by a friend is rendered a delicate treatment. Here John is given a chance to display his warm handling of a ballad and shows himself to be adept with tunes set in any tempo. Curtis, Kenny and Lee are also provided with solo space and their interpretations are sensitive and poignant.

Lazy Bird is faintly reminiscent of Tadd Dameron’s Lady Bird. After a short piano introduction Morgan (with a brief assist from the other horns), Fuller, Coltrane, Drew, Chambers (with bow) and Jones, take off in that order. Lee returns at the end to ride out over John and Curtis with the theme.

What is perhaps the most striking attribute (among many) about this LP is its free, but not disorganized, blowing mood that has everyone in exceptional form both individually and collectively.