There are stunning performances throughout this classic recording -- "Autumn Serenade," "They Say It's Wonderful," "My One and Only Love" - - but it's the definitive version of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" that this atypical collaborative effort is best remembered for. Saxophonist John Coltrane, taking time off from pushing the envelope of avant jazz, hooked up with vocalist Johnny Hartman, whose sumptuous baritone and smooth style recalls vocal titans
Billy Eckstine and
Nat King Cole. The pairing represented the first and last time Trane would ever lead a session with a singer, but it proved a charm. Interpreting standards that bring out the inner romantic in him, Coltrane finds common ground with the grand balladeer. "Lush Life," with its tale of sophisticated dissolution and inebriated ennui, touches a special spot in both saxophonist and singer. Their touching yet utterly unsentimental interpretation of this superbly crafted song is a career highlight for both men.
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