John Coltrane composed Resolution in 1964 as the second movement of his four-part suite A Love Supreme, recorded in December at Van Gelder Studio and released on Impulse! Records in early 1965. Where the opening Acknowledgement is built on a repeating bass ostinato, Resolution introduces a lyrical, fully composed horn melody grounded in a blues form in B-flat minor, conveying determination and spiritual resolve. The movement follows a clear arc: the quartet states the horn theme, McCoy Tyner takes a piano solo, Coltrane delivers an extended tenor saxophone solo, and the melody returns to close. The harmony features what biographer Lewis Porter describes as moving harmonies that evolve dynamically beneath the melody, distinguishing this section from the static vamp of the preceding movement. Coltrane's handwritten outline for the suite, now held by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, reveals he initially planned expanded instrumentation including a second horn, second bassist Art Davis, congas, and timbales, though the definitive recording used only his core quartet of Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones. Within the suite's spiritual narrative, Resolution represents the transition from acknowledging a higher power to actively pursuing a life of devotion, a progression Coltrane described in the poem printed inside the album's gatefold. The movement draws on the suite's recurring four-note cell but develops it into a more structured melodic statement rather than free improvisation. It is rarely performed as a standalone piece, remaining closely bound to its place within the larger work.
Search A Love Supreme, Part 2: Resolution lead sheets:
