Rhino Celebrates Coltrane's Centennial With 6 Atlantic Mono LP Boxed Set Cut AAA From Original Mono Master Tapes!

JOHN COLTRANE 1960-1964 MONO (RHINO HIGH FIDELITY)

(November 12, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA) John Coltrane’s impact on modern music is immeasurable. The saxophonist’s groundbreaking work at Atlantic Records in the early 1960s helped expand the language of jazz and redefine the possibilities of improvisation. In honor of Coltrane’s upcoming centennial next year, Rhino is starting the celebration early on November 28 with a vinyl boxed set featuring six albums in mono, reissued as part of the acclaimed Rhino High Fidelity series.

1960-1964 Mono (Rhino High Fidelity) brings together Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz, My Favorite Things, Olé Coltrane, Coltrane Plays The Blues, and Coltrane’s Sound. Available exclusively at Rhino.com and internationally at select WMG stores, the collection is limited to 2,000 individually numbered copies. Pre-Order Here.

Each album is AAA cut from the original analog mono master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl at Optimal. The records are presented in glossy gatefold jackets with the alternate French cover art and the original U.S. cover art inside the gatefolds, and exclusive new liner notes by music writer Syd Schwartz. The set showcases Rhino Hi-Fi’s industry-leading standard for audiophile sound and presentation, built on the label’s 45-year legacy of award-winning archival releases.

Few artists have altered the course of music as profoundly as Coltrane. From his early collaborations with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to his revolutionary work as a bandleader, Coltrane’s relentless pursuit of new ideas reshaped jazz. His years at Atlantic captured a creative surge that bridged tradition and transformation and were followed by recordings that revealed a spiritual depth that defined his later work. As his centennial approaches, Coltrane’s legacy remains a benchmark for artistic courage and innovation.

Coltrane started sessions for his first Atlantic album right after playing on Davis’s masterpiece, Kind of Blue. Released in early 1960, Giant Steps introduced the “Coltrane Changes,” a revolutionary approach to chords still studied today. From the tenderness of “Naima” to the hard swing of “Mr. P.C.,” the album captures his blend of precision and lyricism. Inducted into the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame in 2001, Giant Steps is one of jazz’s most influential albums.

Building on the innovations of its predecessor, Coltrane Jazz (January 1961) shows him working with greater openness and flow. Featuring the fluid motion of “Like Sonny” and the contemplative phrasing of “Village Blues,” it offers early glimpses of the sound Coltrane would soon achieve with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones—the classic quartet that would define the remainder of his Atlantic years.

My Favorite Things (March 1961) marked a major turning point for Coltrane, featuring his debut on soprano saxophone and a modal approach that opened new harmonic and emotional space in his music. His hypnotic interpretation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein title track became an unexpected hit, while standards like “Summertime” and “Every Time We Say Goodbye” showcased the expressive depth of his new quartet.

Drawing on Spanish and North African influences, Coltrane expanded his modal explorations on Olé Coltrane (November 1961). The extended title track, driven by two bassists and highlighted by Eric Dolphy’s flute, created a mesmerizing energy that pushed his quartet into new territory. The result was one of his most adventurous Atlantic recordings, bridging the freedom of his later work with the lyricism of this era.

Coltrane Plays the Blues (1962) turns the blues form into a framework for harmonic invention and rhythmic interplay. Each track reveals a different facet of his sound, from the open dialogue of “Blues to Elvin” to the assertive drive of “Mr. Day.” Beneath its stripped-down surface lies some of Coltrane’s most direct and vital playing of the Atlantic years.

Majestic and deeply expressive, Coltrane’s Sound (1964) distills the emotion of this period into six focused performances that balance structure and range. From the brooding power of “Equinox” to the wistful lyricism of “Central Park West,” it captures Coltrane refining his voice with renewed clarity and purpose. As Schwartz says in the liner notes, “He wasn’t aiming for perfection; he was aiming for truth.”

WHY FOREIGN JACKET ARTWORK? WILL FIND OUT...

Comments

2025-11-12 11:13:53 AM

bwb wrote:

https://www.discogs.com/release/8630183-John-Coltrane-The-Atlantic-Years-In-Mono?ev=

this begs for a comparison to the set above. Also released by Rhino. Not an exact 1-1 set of recordings, but quite a bit of overlap
- 2025-11-12 03:45:09 PM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  I have that one cut by John Webber at Air Studios. It's missing "My Favorite Things" because at that time the master tape was lost. It has since been found, I believe in the U.K, ironically. The packaging is very nice but the sound is only "okay". I think this one will be better.
- 2025-11-12 06:07:30 PM
  
  Come on wrote:
  
  For a comparison so far I have all the older and newer Rhino stereo releases cut by KG on the old (including a mono Giant Steps) and 2 on the Cohearent equipment.
  
  Then the old Rhino Grundman 45RPM Giant Steps and the AP 45RPM RKS Giant steps. Then all the ORG and ORG Music 45RPM releases of those new Rhino mono albums.
  
  Of the 4 high quality Giant Steps reissues I have, the old Rhino mono cut of KG is the best sounding, his old Rhino stereo cut second best. So his new cuts will be very interesting!
  
  The ORG Music 45RPM Grundman “Ole” is in fact a mono in a stereo cover, but this one doesn’t sound better than KG’s new Rhino stereo cut at Cohearent (although other cuts on ORG and ORG music can sound superior, too.
  
  So KG seems to rule for Coltrane somehow. One I will definitely buy additionally to the 3 stereo cuts (2 Rhino, 1 ORG Music), is this new Rhino mono cut of “Coltrane’s Sound”, as it’s one of my few absolute Coltrane favorites.
  - 2025-11-13 09:13:10 PM
    
    Moore wrote:
    
    Thanks for the comparisons on Giant steps. I was wondering what mono pressing you were talking about as being the best- I own the 2017 mono reissue cut as Optimal and it is quite good but I've been completely unaware of any fairly recent audiophile reissue of it except for the ERC. In your review you discuss one cut by Kevin Gray (KG). Could you link that specific pressings Discogs page so me and others could check it out?
    - 2025-11-14 04:22:34 AM
      
      Come on wrote:
      
      You are right, sorry, just the Stereo I referred to was cut by KG...I have the same mono as you have, which I prefer due to the extreme panning of the stereos and which sounds not really worse than the stereos otherwise. So KG's new mono will quite sure be the go to version.
  - 2025-11-20 07:39:50 AM
    
    Michael Fremer wrote:
    
    I greatly appreciate this rundown!
2025-11-12 06:49:32 PM

Lemon Curry wrote:

I'm listening the RHF stereo "Ole" from a year ago, and it's a darn perfect record. Lacking a second mono arm and cart at this time, I don't think the mono is going to light me up compared to what I'm hearing right now. But.. perhaps will grab the box to prepare for when the system upgrade is there.
2025-11-13 02:32:32 AM

Mark Ward wrote:

Owning the old Coltrane Heavyweight Champion box (cut from files), I had recently determined to start picking up newer AAA remasters, starting with Ole from RHF. Now this appears, and I am both torn and sorely tempted. I LOVE the fact that the albums feature European artwork on the jackets, and the whole package is really appealing. The Mono cuts are appealing (even though I lack a dedicated mono set-up, apart from a switch). My question to the experts is - are the stereo cuts to be preferred over the mono, or vice versa? Or is it simply a case of they are different beasts... In other words, if you HAD to pick between mono and stereo, which would it be?
- 2025-11-13 03:27:12 AM
  
  Come on wrote:
  
  In my experience it always depends (on how they recorded mono vs. stereo, on how the stereo stage is panned and on how the respective reissues were produced).
  
  My examples above (all AAA) proof it. The mono Giant Steps sounds better than all stereo examples imo but the stereo "Ole" (Rhino/Coherarent) sounds better than the mono (ORG Music/Grundman). I could tell why (different reasons for each), but I think it gets too long here now.
  
  I think all existing high quality AAA stereo and mono reissues (KG, Grundman, RKS etc.) are better sounding than the Heavyweight box.
  - 2025-11-14 09:59:39 AM
    
    bwb wrote:
    
    I don't know about these, but important to remember that many of these so called stereo releases were never intended to be "stereo". They were recorded to a 2 track machine with some instruments on each track, then mixed to mono as intended. Rudy Van Gelder was recording that way at one point when he only had a mono speaker in his studio for mixing.
    
    The fake "stereo" version that puts one track in each channel results in the hard pan L-R with a hole in the middle that everyone rightfully complains about.
    - 2025-11-14 05:44:49 PM
      
      Come on wrote:
      
      Yes, but as we know, there are not just true mono and fake stereo versions. There are true mono, fold downs (fake mono), fake stereo, real stereo. Depending on which of those categories a recording belongs to (for the moment I ignore other sound quality characteristics and personal tastes), the mono or the stereo can be better.
      - 2025-11-15 04:30:00 PM
        
        satkinsn wrote:
        
        IRC, Atlantic, unlike most labels of the era, rolled simultaneous mono and stereo recordings.
2025-11-13 03:37:40 AM

Lenny wrote:

If anyone knows where one can order this in Europe/Germany do please post a link -- I can't find it using google.
- 2025-11-13 08:35:52 AM
  
  jonathan wrote:
  
  The website states that it's sold exclusively at Rhino.com.
- 2025-11-13 12:06:38 PM
  
  Come on wrote:
  
  Saw that it's only available as complete box (didn't recognize this before) and ordered it over rhino.com with free shipping. The preorder link in the text above should just be interesting for UK costumers, nowhere else, as it's more expensive there, applied with tax (outside UK) and shipping cost...
- 2025-11-13 06:37:44 PM
  
  Will wrote:
  
  I’m in the Uk and it looks to be cheaper to buy from the US than the Rhino/Dig! UK site.
2025-11-13 06:41:42 PM

Will wrote:

😢 Avant Garde is missing.
2025-11-14 03:45:48 PM

freejazz00 wrote:

I'm torn on this one. I have the '94 Heavyweight Champion box, which I bought new and thought was cut from tape. Some others believe was cut from files. Does anyone know the correct "cut from" for Heavyweight Champion? The new box doesn't include Bags and Trane, Avant Garde, Coltrane Legacy, Alternate Takes, or Outtakes. I'd rather have the better sounding pressing, and I'm guessing these reissues are it, but this new issue gives up a lot of the Atlantic material.
- 2025-11-15 03:07:17 PM
  
  Silk Dome Mid wrote:
  
  Mark Ward says the Champion release was cut from files, and I nave no reason to doubt it. The sound seems to confirm that.
  - 2025-11-16 02:26:57 AM
    
    33Spinner wrote:
    
    Our own Michael Fremer, in Analog Corner #8 stated that the Heavyweight Champion LP box set was "all-analog 150gm facsimiles of the original LPs". His original review in the printed 'Track Angle' magazine in 1996 gave it a very high rating and no mention then of a digital source (other than for the CD issue). Can someone definitively provide a correct answer? Of course that's not to say that the subsequent vinyl reissues mentioned in this thread are not better.
    - 2025-11-17 03:59:17 AM
      
      Mark Ward wrote:
      
      This is from MF's review of the new RHF Ole: "This is an easy call: the box set version was sourced either from the CD master or from the actual CD and never sounded great but it was nice to have 12 Coltrane albums on vinyl back when there wasn't much..." --which is pretty much my feeling about the box set. It was great to have at the time. But newer cuts are superseding it from what I am reading... maybe MF can chime in definitively...
      - 2025-11-17 05:21:30 AM
        
        Come on wrote:
        
        The situation is at least confusing, as the following quote is from Discogs:
        
        “Hand Numbered Limited Edition Of 3000. Mastered direct from analog master tapes.”
        
        ..and the following from MF / AnalogPlanet:
        
        “By releasing the Coltrane material in both formats and in different configurations, Rhino offers music lovers the best of both worlds: a CD set assembled in order of recording dates—a natural for digital—and the original LP master tapes, maintaining analog integrity. Bravo Rhino!“
    - 2025-11-20 07:46:03 AM
      
      Michael Fremer wrote:
      
      Our own MF was wrong. Looking back, there was a time when I was so excited to see vinyl anything I let down my sonic guard. Well done from files the box is.
      - 2025-11-20 07:48:48 AM
        
        Michael Fremer wrote:
        
        I also went by what I was told & back then “mastered using original tapes” could mean “to digital and cut from the files”.
        
        2025-11-20 07:55:38 PM
        
        Josquin des Prez wrote:
        
        I always suspect it still means that, if it isn't more explicitly stated somehow as AAA. As we've learned, much is not to be trusted in that regard.
2025-11-20 12:32:12 PM

Michael Weintraub wrote:

For those looking to acquire these recordings piecemeal as opposed to shelling out for the entire set at once, don't sleep on the 70's represses cut by the great George Piros. These are not difficult to find nor terribly pricey and of course they are AAA. Look for @GP in the deadwax and you can't go wrong. I have most of them, and they all sound terrific.
- 2025-11-20 09:40:55 PM
  
  Josquin des Prez wrote:
  
  These new reissues are now split out as six individual releases – sans linen box – for the Rhino "Start Your Ear Off Right 2026 Indie Exclusive" series, shipping Jan. 9.
  
  B&M stores only, but Elusive Disc has them up for preorder. ED technically has a B&M outlet so I guess they qualify to sell it for that reason.
2025-11-22 09:53:27 AM

piero croce wrote:

If is from files is bad,if is AAA is good...how many victims of confirmation bias. ERC mono Giant Steps and My Favourite Things that "No equalisation, compression or any other processing was added during the cutting process" are the best. Others AAA are the queen of manipulations( compression,equalisation) at this point is better the MOFI DSD step.
- 2025-11-22 01:46:26 PM
  
  Come on wrote:
  
  From what I know, no single one of the good remastering engineers ever used any processing or compression on his AAA releases (except for gain riding when necessary in very few cases). Everyone of those did flat transfers withoput EQ all the time whenever this was the best option.
  
  I see the negative dogma in never using EQ, no matter how much the master needed it. Remember, they cut from a master, which was eventually not meant to be the best for the media listened at home and just by chance was perfect in EQ for the end product.