Kulu Sé Mama

Kulu Sé Mama is an album by jazz musician John Coltrane. Recorded during 1965, it was released in early 1967 as Impulse! A-9106 (AS-9106 for the stereo version).

Kulu Sé Mama
Studio album by
John Coltrane
ReleasedJanuary 1967[1]
RecordedJune 10 & 16, 1965 (#2-3, 5, 6)
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
October 14, 1965 (#1, 4)
Western Recorders, Los Angeles
GenreAvant-garde jazz, free jazz
Length34:15 original LP
69:33 CD reissue
LabelImpulse!
A-9106
ProducerBob Thiele
John Coltrane chronology
New Thing at Newport
(1965)		 Kulu Sé Mama
(1967)		 Meditations
(1966)

Background

The title piece and "Selflessness" were recorded in October 1965 and feature a large ensemble including Sanders, Garrett, Butler and Lewis. The other tracks, "Vigil", "Welcome" and "Dusk Dawn", feature the "classic quartet" (Coltrane, Jones, Garrison and Tyner). "Kulu Sé Mama" was composed by Juno Lewis, and the other titles are credited to Coltrane. "Selflessness" was first released on the posthumous album Selflessness: Featuring My Favorite Things, and "Dusk Dawn" was first released on the posthumous album Living Space. Kulu Sé Mama was the last album released during Coltrane's lifetime.

Reception

Scott Yanow of AllMusic commented "Lewis' chanting and colorful percussion make this a unique if not essential entry in Coltrane's discography".[2]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [2]
Sputnikmusic[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[4]

Track listing
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."Kulu Sé Mama (Juno Sé Mama)"October 14, 196518:50
2."Vigil"June 16, 19659:51
3."Welcome"June 10, 19655:34
CD reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleRecording dateLength
4."Selflessness"October 14, 196514:49
5."Dusk Dawn"June 16, 196511:00
6."Dusk Dawn (Alternate Take)"June 16, 19659:29

Personnel

Notes
  1. The credits on the album jacket state that Garrett played bass clarinet on the recording. However, the authors of The John Coltrane Reference, who occasionally present updates to the book on their website (http://wildmusic-jazz.com/jcr_index.htm),[5] provided an update dated 2008 which states that Dutch musician Cornelis Hazevoet sent the following information via an email to author Yasuhiro Fujioka: "Over the years, in liners, books and lists, Don Garrett has been attributed with playing bass clarinet. This is wrong. The man only played bass and clarinet (the small and straight horn, that is)... In 1975, Garrett played in my band and I've specifically asked him about it (because I already felt something was wrong with it). He most specifically and pertinently told me that he never played bass clarinet in his entire life, only the small, straight horn (which he played in my band too)... Perhaps, the error originated from the fact that Garrett was listed somewhere as playing 'bass, clarinet', which subsequently evolved into 'bass clarinet'. Whatever is the case, Garrett did not play bass clarinet on any Coltrane record nor anywhere else."[6]

References
  1. Billboard Jan 28, 1967
  2. Yanow, Scott. Kulu Sé Mama at AllMusic
  3. Campbell, Hernan M. (17 May 2012). "Review: John Coltrane - Kulu Se Mama | Sputnikmusic". sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  4. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 47. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  5. Porter, Lewis; DeVito, Chris; Fujioka, Yasuhiro; Wild, David; Schmaler, Wolf (2008). The John Coltrane Reference. Routledge. pp. x.
  6. Porter, Lewis; DeVito, Chris; Fujioka, Yasuhiro; Wild, David; Schmaler, Wolf. "The John Coltrane Reference: 1965 Updates: Correction to session 65-0930". wildmusic-jazz.com. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
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