JOHN COLTRANE - COSMIC MUSIC (ALICE COLTRANE MIX) ORIG NM 1971 IMPULSE STEREO LP

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· JOHN COLTRANE (with Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Rashied Ali and Jimmy Garrison) - COSMIC MUSIC – 1971 IMPULSE/ABC STEREO LP AS-9148 · ORIGINAL US PRESSING (NOTE: THE ALBUM HAS THREE VERSIONS; THIS IS THE ORIGINAL PRESSING OF THE THIRD VERSION, BUT NOT OF THE FIRST OR SECOND) · ORIGINAL BLACK IMPULSE LABEL WITH RED BAND ALONG THE RIM OF THE LABEL · THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC, FIRST U.S. PRESSING; THIS IS NOT A REISSUE, AN IMPORT, OR A COUNTERFEIT PRESSING. · ORIGINAL GATEFOLD COVER, MADE OF THICK CARDBOARD (AMERICAN STYLE) · ORIGINAL LAMINATED COVER · CLEAN, WEAR-FREE LABELS · THICK, HEAVY VINYL PRESSING · THE RECORD HAS A 'BELL SOUND' STAMP IN THE TRAIL-OFF VINYL (DEAD WAX) AREA, WHICH IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED A PROOF OF AUTHENTICITY OF THE FIRST PRESSING. Recorded in early 1967, merely months before John Coltrane's death in July of that year, and released – briefly - on his own, proprietary "Coltrane" label (this was the only title ever to be released on the label), original versions of the "Cosmic Music" are the singularly, insanely rare of all Coltrane albums.The album comes in no less than three distinct variants / versions: (1) The first version – came in gatefold covers which were NOT laminated AND DID NOT HAVE A WHITE MARGIN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE; this version uses the original, first label (pink Coltrane label with ‘paisley’ motif on the label). This was the first, UNMIXED version of the album which – if our understanding is correct – was the original, Coltrane-approved mix – the one he personally supervised. This, first version, uses a COMPLETELY GRAY cover (not pink) It is impossible to determine with some certainty exactly WHEN the album was released. While it is possible that the album was released while Coltrane was still alive (prior to June 1967), it is more likely that the album came out immediately following his death, at some point between July 1967 and April 1968. (2) The second version is very similar to the first, but with some significant differences. The second pressing has a cover with a white right-hand margin on the front cover with a dedication to Martin Luther King, thus making it all but certain that it was released AFTER Martin Luther King’s assassination (April 1968). This version uses second label (all-pink label with black print, without paisley motif). This, second version utilizes ALICE COLTRANE mix (which is marginally different from the original mix: slightly more treble-ish and re-equalized but otherwise identical to the Coltrane mix). The second version of the COVER – unlike the first one – was fully laminated, and was very similar in texture and appearance to the Impulse’s other mid-60’s covers, leading us to believe that the second version – unlike the first – was distributed by Impulse records. (3) About two years after Coltrane died, ABC/Impulse reissued the album with a different cover, and even these, second, pressings are notoriously difficult to find. This, third version - the one offered here is massively different from the previous two versions, with overdubs and various touches added (presumably by Alice Coltrane?) , one track DELETED from the original program, and with COMPLETELY DIFFERENT cover from the first two versions. It remains unknown and undocumented who and how distributed the album. Our qualified guess is that Alice Coltrane distributed the album herself, directly from her and John Coltrane’s house in Deer Park, Long Island, New York, possibly with some technical and logistical help from ABC-Paramount or Impulse records. The third version was definitely pressed and distributed by ABC/Impulse records. This album is the finest example of what Alice Coltrane had in mind when, in an 1969 interview, she noted that, by the end of his life (to paraphrase her words), John Coltrane started conceiving his music, and universe, in terms of math equations. This is a difficult, demanding, music; Definitely NOT for the feint of heart. Track listing: Manifestation - Lord, help me to be - Reverend king - The Sun.