Om (John Coltrane album)

Om is a 1965 album by John Coltrane.

In October, 1965, Coltrane recorded Om, referring to the sacred syllable in Hindu religion, which symbolizes the infinite or the entire Universe. Coltrane described Om as the "first syllable, the primal word, the word of power". The 29-minute recording contains chants from the Bhagavad-Gita, a Hindu epic. The 1965 recording, issued posthumously, has Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders chanting from a Buddhist text, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, and reciting a passage describing the primal verbalization "om" as a cosmic/spiritual common denominator in all things.

The album was not very well received. It is believed to have been recorded during an LSD experience, though some people have said this is only a myth.

Track listing

Original LP release

Side A

1. Om - 15:02 (part one)

Side B

1. Om - 13:58 (part two)

CD release

1. Om - 28:49

(Note: While some CD configurations had "Om" as a single track, others kept the original LP record's original two-track configuration)

Personnel

• John Coltrane - tenor and soprano saxophone
• Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone
• Donald Rafael Garrett - bass clarinet
• Joe Brazil - flute
• McCoy Tyner - piano
• Jimmy Garrison - bass
• Elvin Jones - drums

References

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