# Wise One - John Coltrane ## Recording Information **Album:** Crescent **Recorded:** April 27, 1964 (tracks 1-3) & June 1, 1964 (tracks 4-5) **Studio:** [[Van Gelder Studio]], Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey **Engineer:** [[Rudy Van Gelder]][^1] **Producer:** Bob Thiele **Label:** Impulse! **Released:** July 1964 ## Personnel **Classic Quartet:**[^2] - John Coltrane - tenor saxophone - [[McCoy Tyner]] - piano - Jimmy Garrison - double bass - Elvin Jones - drums ## Recording Setup **Studio characteristics:**[^3] - Englewood Cliffs custom-built studio (1959-2016) - 39-foot cathedral ceilings with wooden beams and brick tile - Designed by Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright school) - Natural room reverb from large space **Microphones:**[^4] - Piano: Neumann U47 and M49 condensers (close-miked) - Saxophone: Neumann M49 or U47 (cardioid pattern) - Drums: 3-mic setup (kick, high position between snare/hi-hat, left side) - Bass: Direct-out from amp blended with microphone **Signal chain:**[^5] - Console: Custom Van Gelder console (moved from Hackensack 1957) - Tape: Ampex 350-2P two-track recorder - Limiting: Fairchild 660 (serial #1) - EQ: Pultec EQP-1 - Reverb: Two EMT 140 plate reverb units - Live mixing direct to 2-track stereo tape ## Piano Tone Comparison: Hackensack vs. Englewood Cliffs **Englewood Cliffs era (1964):**[^6] - Neumann condenser microphones exclusively for piano - Brighter, more detailed tone than Hackensack ribbon era - Close-miked placement maintained despite larger room - McCoy Tyner's "delicate and chime-like musings" captured with clarity[^7] **Contrast with Hackensack (1957):**[^8] - Blue Train (Sept 1957) used RCA 44-BX ribbons + early Neumann condensers - Darker, more muffled piano tone from ribbons - Smaller living room space with lower ceilings - Kenny Drew's piano had characteristic Hackensack warmth The transition from Hackensack to Englewood Cliffs represents Van Gelder's evolution from ribbon-based darker piano tones to brighter condenser-captured sound while maintaining his signature close-miking philosophy.[^9] ## Notable Characteristics "Wise One" showcases the mature Englewood Cliffs sound: McCoy Tyner's piano has crystalline clarity and detailed harmonic texture, contrasting sharply with the darker, ribbon-mic'd piano sound of earlier Hackensack recordings like Blue Train.[^10] The large studio space provides natural reverb without sacrificing instrumental presence through Van Gelder's continued close-miking approach.[^11] ## Listening Comparison **To hear the Hackensack vs. Englewood Cliffs piano tone difference:** - **Hackensack (1957):** "Blue Train" (title track) or "Lazy Bird" - Kenny Drew's piano solo showcases the darker, warmer RCA 44-BX ribbon character[^12] - **Englewood Cliffs (1964):** "Wise One" - McCoy Tyner's "delicate and chime-like" Neumann condenser tone[^13] Both pianists were exceptionally skilled, so the tonal differences are primarily due to microphone choice and studio acoustics rather than playing style. ## Footnotes [^1]: [Wikipedia: Crescent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crescent_(John_Coltrane_album)) - Bob Thiele production, Rudy Van Gelder recording and mixing [^2]: [Archive.org: Crescent DSD128](https://archive.org/details/john-coltrane-quartet-crescent-high-res) - April 27 & June 1, 1964 at Van Gelder Studio [^3]: [RVG Legacy: Englewood Cliffs](https://rvglegacy.org/englewood-cliffs/) - 39-foot ceilings, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design [^4]: [RVG Legacy: Microphones](https://rvglegacy.org/microphones/) - Neumann condenser usage timeline, piano mic evolution [^5]: [RVG Legacy: Outboard Gear](https://rvglegacy.org/outboard-gear/) - Fairchild 660, Pultec EQP-1, EMT 140 plates [^6]: [Google Groups: RVG Background](https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.bluenote/c/uhXVTYxsj2w) - Neumann U47 + RCA 44BX on Herbie Nichols (1955), full Neumann transition by 1959 [^7]: [Archive.org: Crescent](https://archive.org/details/john-coltrane-quartet-crescent-high-res) - McCoy Tyner's "delicate and chime-like musings" [^8]: [Wikipedia: Blue Train](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Train_(album)) - Recorded Sept 15, 1957 at Hackensack [^9]: [London Jazz Collector: RVG Studios](https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/trivia/rudy-van-gelders-studios/) - Englewood Cliffs condenser mics vs Hackensack ribbon warmth [^10]: [uDiscover Music: Crescent](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rediscover-john-coltrane-crescent/) - April 27, 1964 session at Englewood Cliffs [^11]: [Sonic Scoop: RVG Legacy](https://sonicscoop.com/rudy-van-gelder-optometrist-day-recordist-night/) - Cathedral design, natural reverb from large space [^12]: [Discogs: Blue Train Complete Masters](https://www.discogs.com/release/24597290-John-Coltrane-Blue-Train-The-Complete-Masters) - Kenny Drew's piano solo on "Blue Train" (Take 8) edited into master [^13]: [Archive.org: Crescent](https://archive.org/details/john-coltrane-quartet-crescent-high-res) - McCoy Tyner's piano tone described as "delicate and chime-like" #jazz #postbop #coltrane #impulse