John Coltrane’s Giant Steps reissued in 60th anniversary edition

Featuring alternate takes, previously unseen images, original liner notes and more.

John Coltrane’s 1960 album Giant Steps is being reissued in a 60th anniversary edition, via Rhino this September.

Read more: Coltrane, Kamasi and the art of looking both directions at once

Coltrane recorded Giant Steps in 1959 with Paul Chambers on double bass, Tommy Flanagan on piano and Art Taylor on drums – with the exception of ‘Naima’, which features Jimmy Cobb on drums and Wynton Kelly on piano.

“Giant Steps is exhibit a of how Coltrane’s obsession with the inner mechanics of music could not—and did not—impede his lyrical priority as a soloist, nor his compositional knack for inventing memorable, deeply entrancing melodies,” shares music historian Ashley Kahn.

Giant Steps: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition boasts eight alternate takes, a booklet, never-before-seen photos of Atlantic Records ephemera, original liner notes and new text by Kahn.

Alongside this, Rhino are also releasing a ‘Super Deluxe Edition’, which features 20 additional outtakes.

The reissue follows the release of Coltrane’s previously unreleased 1964 album Blue World, via Impulse/Ume.

Head here to pre-order a copy in advance of Giant Steps: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition’s 18th September release, and check out the tracklist below.

Tracklist:

Deluxe Edition

Side A

1. Giant Steps
2. Cousin Mary
3. Countdown
4. Spiral

Side B

1. Syeeda’s Song Flute
2. Naima
3. Mr. P.C.

Side C

1. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 1, Incomplete)
2. Naima (Alternate Take)
3. Like Sonny (Alternate Take)
4. Countdown (Alternate Take)

Side D

1. Syeeda’s Song Flute (Alternate Take)
2. Cousin Mary (Alternate Take)
3. Giant Steps (Alternate Version Two False Start)
4. Giant Steps (Alternate Take)

Super Deluxe Edition

1. Giant Steps
2. Cousin Mary
3. Countdown
4. Spiral
5. Syeeda’s Song Flute
6. Naima
7. Mr. P.C.
8. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 1, Incomplete)
9. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 2, False Start)
10. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 3, Incomplete)
11. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 4, Incomplete)
12. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 5)
13. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 6, False Start)
14. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 7, Incomplete)
15. Giant Steps (Alternate, Take 8)
16. Naima (Alternate, Take 1, False Start)
17. Naima (Alternate, Take 2, Incomplete)
18. Naima (Alternate, Take 3)
19. Naima (Alternate, Take 4, False Start)
20. Naima (Alternate, Take 5)
21. Naima (Alternate, Take 6)
22. Like Sonny (Rehearsal 1, False Start)
23. Like Sonny (Rehearsal 2, Incomplete)
24. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 1, False Start)
25. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 2, Incomplete)
26. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 3, Incomplete)
27. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 4, False Start)
28. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 5)
29. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 6, Incomplete)
30. Like Sonny (Alternate, Take 7)
31. Countdown (Alternate Take)
32. Syeeda’s Song Flute (Alternate Take)
33. Cousin Mary (Alternate Take)
34. Giant Steps Take 3 (Incomplete)
35. Giant Steps Take 6 (Alternate)