180-gram double LP. 60th Anniversary 2022 Remastered Editon (Strereo/Mono)

“Each track of this album is a joy to revisit.” — 5/5 stars, Lindsay Planer, AllMusic

Rhino is celebrating the 60th anniversary of John Coltrane’s classic My Favorite Things with a deluxe edition on 180-gram vinyl double LP. This version features new stereo and mono mixes remastered from the original tapes. The mono mix, once believed lost, was rediscovered recently and is included in this new edition.

The LPs come packaged in a replica of the original record sleeve with a booklet that features rare photos, ephemera from the period, and new liner notes written by acclaimed music journalist/author Ben Ratliff.Released in March 1961, My Favorite Things was the first album to feature John Coltrane playing soprano saxophone in addition to his regular tenor. His soprano takes the lead on two of the album’s four songs, including his unforgettable rendition of the title track, which Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote for The Sound of Music musical.

An edited version of the 14-minute original was a radio hit that spring. The song’s success helped introduce Coltrane to a broader audience, while the album went on to inspire future generations of fans. In recognition of the album’s lasting artistic and historical significance, My Favorite Things was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and gold certified for lifetime sales in the U.S., in 2018.

In his liner notes, Ratliff offers his take on My Favorite Things: “For a record that so many people listened to, the LP version of ‘My Favorite Things’ travels impressively far; it demonstrably goes somewhere. It also remains ambivalent through its juxtaposition of E major and E minor. It spins you around; it gives you enough of the pleasant impression, sometimes, that you don’t know where you are or what song you’re in. It is a remarkable cross of extremism and tact.”

Coltrane was introduced to the soprano saxophone in late 1959 and soon after started playing it in addition to his regular tenor sax. His first recorded performances on the instrument are included on My Favorite Things. He recorded the music in October 1960 with the first version of the John Coltrane Quartet, which included McCoy Tyner (piano), Steve Davis (double bass), and Elvin Jones (drums). Shortly before the sessions began, Coltrane discussed the soprano sax with Down Beat magazine: “I’ve had to adopt a slightly different approach than the one I use for tenor, but it helps me get away – lets me take another look at improvisation. It’s like having another hand.”