Wilbur Harden With John Coltrane - Mainstream 1958 (Japanese Savoy Vinyl LP)

A remarkable document from a pivotal moment in John Coltrane's development, Mainstream 1958 captures the tenor saxophonist during his transitional period between his years with Miles Davis and the formation of his own revolutionary quartet. Recorded on 13 March 1958 at Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack studio, this session finds Coltrane alongside flugelhorn player Wilbur Harden, whose warm, mellow horn tone provides an intriguing contrast to Coltrane's increasingly intense explorations. This 1975 Japanese reissue on CBS/Sony, part of their Original Savoy Recording series, preserves these historically significant performances with the mono fidelity that captures the music's essence.

Wilbur Harden remains one of hard bop's under-appreciated figures, a flugelhorn specialist whose melodic approach and compositional skills deserved wider recognition. All five compositions here are Harden originals, showcasing his writing ability across a range of moods and tempos. What makes this session special is hearing Coltrane within Harden's musical context rather than as the dominant voice. While Coltrane's solos reveal the "sheets of sound" approach and harmonic restlessness that would soon revolutionise jazz, he's working within Harden's frameworks and sharing space with the leader's lyrical flugelhorn.

The rhythm section is impeccable: Tommy Flanagan on piano, one of the era's most tasteful and harmonically sophisticated accompanists; Doug Watkins on bass, providing solid yet melodic support; and the young Louis Hayes on drums, already demonstrating the crisp attack and musical intelligence that would make him one of hard bop's most in-demand drummers. Together, they create the perfect foundation for the frontline's explorations.

Tracks like "Wells Fargo" and "West 42nd Street" demonstrate the quintet's ability to swing hard while maintaining compositional interest, while "E.F.F.P.H.", "Snuffy", and "Rhodomagnetics" showcase Harden's diverse compositional palette. Throughout, Coltrane's tenor playing is fascinating to hear in this context, showing both where he'd been and where he was heading.

This Japanese pressing includes an LP-sized insert and represents Van Gelder's original mono recording with excellent fidelity. For Coltrane completists and those interested in hard bop's development, this session offers crucial insights into a transformative period.