text: coltrane for lovers coltrane for lovers is a posthumous compilation album by american jazz musician john coltrane , released on january 23 , 2001 , by impulse ! records . its tracks were recorded during december 1961 to april 1963 at engineer rudy van gelder 's recording studio in englewood cliffs , new jersey . the first in the verve for lovers series by verve records , the album contains eleven of coltrane 's romantic ballads recorded during his early years with impulse ! records . the songs feature coltrane 's classic quartet and collaborations with vocalist johnny hartman and pianist duke ellington . the recordings compiled for coltrane for lovers initially received criticism for coltrane 's stylistic move from complex jazz compositions of the free jazz form to a simplistic formula of ballads and blues . following the initial controversy , the album 's recordings gained a legacy as one of coltrane 's most popular recordings and significant in the genre of romantic jazz . the tracks were compiled by producer richard seidel and remastering engineer was allan tucker at foothill digital , new york city . coltrane for lovers was issued 33 years after coltrane 's death and nearly 40 years after the original recording dates . the album peaked at number 5 on the top jazz albums chart and received generally positive reviews from most music critics , despite some criticism from writers who viewed it as a cash - in compilation from the release 's label . the album was later compiled , along with other for lovers titles , onto the box set the complete verve for lovers collection . background and recording shortly before completing his contract with atlantic in may 1961 , john coltrane joined the newly formed impulse ! label , with whom the " classic quartet " would record . it is generally assumed that the clinching reason coltrane signed with impulse ! was that it would enable him to work again with recording engineer rudy van gelder , who had taped his prestige sessions , as well as blue train . it was at van gelder 's new studio in englewood cliffs , new jersey that coltrane would record most of his records for the label . during this period of coltrane 's recording career , critics and fans were fiercely divided in their estimation of coltrane , who had radically altered his style from bebop to the modal and free jazz styles , as featured on coltrane ( 1962 ) , his first studio project for the impulse ! label . john tynan of down beat magazine went so far as to call his playing " anti - jazz . " in the midst of this controversy , coltrane decided to release his next three albums in order to improve the critical perception of himself . in an interview with music journalist gene lees , coltrane was asked of his musical and stylistic change from modal and free jazz to more simplistic forms and standards . he responded by stating " variety " . john coltrane 's primary record producer , bob thiele , who had worked with coltrane on his previous albums live ! at the village vanguard ( 1961 ) and coltrane ( 1962 ) , acknowledged that the next three coltrane albums to be released were to be recorded at his behest and as ballad - themed to quiet the negative criticism of coltrane 's more diverse playing . the material chosen for coltrane 's next records would be suited for more slow - tempo , smooth and romantic playing , in contrast to coltrane 's forceful , aggressive style that had dominated his previously issued recordings , and which had led to reviewers describing his playing as " angry " . the recordings featured on coltrane for lovers were recorded between december 1961 and april 1963 , during his early years with impulse ! records . composition as bob thiele intended , the next of coltrane 's releases featured the hard bop form of playing , incorporating influences from rhythm and blues , gospel music , and the blues , especially with the saxophone and piano , and - ahead ballads and standards . ballads , recorded in late 1961 and 1962 , was at first criticized as predictable and too simple after the aggressiveness coltrane displayed on his previous recordings , but was later reevaluated favorably , by some as a masterpiece . on duke ellington and john coltrane , ellington " sat in " with the john coltrane quartet for a set dominated by the pianist 's songs . some performances had ellington 's usual sidemen , bassist aaron bell and drummer sam , replacing jimmy garrison and elvin jones in the group . recording for the collaboration lp john coltrane and johnny hartman ( 1963 ) found the " classic quartet " backing up singer hartman on ballad standards . rolling stone magazine later described the album as " ... one of coltrane 's least innovative records , but impeccably dignified and elegant " , and music critic richard s. ginell commented by saying that " coltrane 's eloquence and the warm , masculine baritone of hartman can still break your heart . " renowned writer and poet al young wrote of the album 's most well - known recording , " my one and only love " , and interpretation of the song by coltrane and hartman : shortly after the release of his ballad - oriented albums , coltrane returned to a more experimental phase , recording impressions ( 1963 ) and his magnum opus a love supreme ( 1965 ) . in spite of this , the previous serious of ballad - oriented recordings served in helping increase coltrane 's legacy and influence on romantic jazz . release compiling eleven of the recordings from this period seen best fit for a romance - themed compilation , coltrane for lovers was issued in the united states by the verve music group on january 23 , 2001 . thirty - three years after coltrane 's death and nearly 40 years after the original recording dates , the album entered the top jazz albums chart on february 10 , 2001 and peaked at number 5 . it remained on the chart for 83 weeks , until february 1 , 2003 , nearly two years after entering the chart . the album served as the first of several other for lovers compilations that the verve label would later issue , including recordings by sarah vaughan , chet baker , and charlie parker . a similar compilation , entitled plays for lovers , was released by prestige in 2003 . another verve compilation of coltrane ballads , entitled more coltrane for lovers , followed in 2005 . coltrane for lovers was later compiled , along with other for lovers titles , onto the box set the complete verve for lovers collection , released exclusively on amazon.com on november 14 , 2006 . critical reception in a four - star review , allmusic editor alex henderson called coltrane for lovers " an excellent collection that has no problem reminding us just how warm and expressive his ballad playing could be . " after discussing how coltrane 's ballad - playing has been undervalued in comparison to his more experimental recordings , in a december 21 , 2001 article for the new york times , writer ben ratliff wrote that " this collection ... presents all the argument you need . " some , however , have criticized the album and verve negatively for repackaging coltrane material for an unnecessary cash - in compilation . in the penguin guide to jazz on cd , richard cook and brian morton gave the album one out of four stars and commented , " oh , for goodness ' sake ! we 're tempted to tell you that this contains a previously unreleased rehearsal of ascension , which we have long regarded as excellent make - out music , but it does not . needless to say , the music is fine ... it 's the concept we have problems with . avoid . " in a 2007 interview for esquire magazine , author and coltrane biographer ben ratliff praised coltrane 's music and balladry , stating " his work contains most of the well - known ideals of jazz ... if you 're interested in improvisation , this guy pushed improvisation to the wall . he was the best blues player of his time . he wrote and played incredible ballads . record companies are still putting out compilations of coltrane ballads called coltrane for lovers or whatever . you can poke fun at the idea , but if you ever listen to one , they 're indescribably beautiful . " the recordings compiled for coltrane for lovers have endured a legacy as one of coltrane 's best performing and interpreting of ballads and standards . in a september 2000 essay on the recordings , writer al young elaborated on john coltrane 's ability during the period of recording the compiled jazz ballads , writing that " the rapport between performer and audience smooths and deepens when a player of john coltrane 's caliber breathes personal expression into some aspect of a song 's lyric or meaning . " young continued in his review of the album , stating : track listing all tracks have john coltrane playing tenor saxophone . track sources a originally from coltrane ( 1962 ) b originally from duke ellington and john coltrane ( 1962 ) c originally from ballads ( 1962 ) d originally from john coltrane and johnny hartman ( 1963 ) e originally from impressions ( 1963 ) chart history billboard music charts ( north america ) – coltrane for lovers 2001 : top jazz albums – # 5 ( 83 weeks ) personnel musicians production