One of the greatest nights of jazz I can recall came in August 1961 at the Village Gate… [It]… was the first of two successive weekends of music by the John Coltrane Quartet, the Horace Silver Quintet, and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Freddy Hubbard on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Jymie Merrit on bass... One rendition of "My Favorite Things" [by the Coltrane Quartet] was clocked at 35:15 minutes--the length of an average LP. Horace broke it up with his composition of "Filthy McNasty."… Historians talk about the Golden Age of Jazz. I think back to the Village Gate, half full with three of the greatest artists in the history of the music performing to empty seats. The people present were electrified by what they heard and saw… Of all of the performers, John Coltrane made the greatest impression… As already mentioned, Coltrane and his group would play for over thirty minutes on one composition. Just having the energy to do so is breathtaking. In addition to having Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet that evening, Dr. Arthur Davis and Reggie Workman were on basses, a young McCoy Tyner on piano, and Elvin Jones on drums… [W]hen [Coltrane] put that saxophone to his mouth, the music was inspiring. It moved me in a strange and compelling way. I took it all in. I didn't even question it. It was just what it was. And when I listen to those original recordings, which you can get today on CD, you have to say to yourself, "My God, this guy was a giant of an artist." << less