This performance of John Coltrane's "Equinox" from Stephen Riley's 2019 album I Remember You features the most extended blowing of the session, with four soloists stretching out over the familiar minor blues form. Coltrane composed this piece for his landmark 1960 album Coltrane's Sound, and its 12-bar minor blues form in C minor has become one of the most frequently performed blues heads in modern jazz. Guitarist Vic Juris opens with five choruses of electric guitar at approximately 127 BPM, building a substantial improvisation over the tune's moody, minor-key framework. Riley follows with four choruses of tenor saxophone, bringing his distinctive floating quality to Coltrane's modal harmonic language. Bassist Jay Anderson contributes three choruses, and drummer Jason Tiemann closes with two choruses of drum improvisation over the form. The extended solo space given to each musician reflects the tune's jam-session-friendly nature and the trio's comfort with sustained improvisation. Coltrane's minor blues compositions have become essential vehicles for jazz musicians, and Riley's approach to the material is characteristically personal, filtering Coltrane's harmonic innovations through his own Lester Young-influenced aesthetic. The recording captures the collective energy of a band fully engaged with the music, building intensity across nearly six minutes of continuous improvisation.
