Live at Birdland (album)

Live at Birdland is a 1964 album by jazz musician John Coltrane. Despite its title, only the first three tracks were recorded live at the Birdland club, the rest are studio tracks. Among them, is "Alabama" a tribute to four children killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, an attack at a Birmingham, Alabama church by white supremacists. The album's original pressing accidentally included a false start - this was corrected in later copies, but restored in CD editions. The album also features a live recording of "I Want to Talk About You," a song Coltrane had recorded on his 1958 album Soultrane, this time with a famous extended cadenza, lasting over eight minutes.

Track listing

 * 1) "Afro Blue" – 10:50
 * 2) "I Want to Talk About You" – 8:11
 * 3) "The Promise" – 8:10
 * 4) "Alabama" – 5:09
 * 5) "Your Lady" – 6:39
 * Compact Disc bonus track
 * 1) "Vilia" – 4:36

"Vilia" is the main melodic statement to the Franz Lehár piece "Vivias", set to a swing feel and chord changes.

Personnel

 * John Coltrane – tenor saxophone/soprano saxophone
 * McCoy Tyner – piano
 * Jimmy Garrison – double bass
 * Elvin Jones – drums