When A Love Supreme was released in early 1965, it appeared as a complete statement by John Coltrane’s Classic Quartet — a four-part suite recorded in one focused session on 9 December 1964. For most listeners, that was the entire story.
But the album’s original liner notes contained a single, unexpected detail. Coltrane thanked tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp and bassist Art Davis, adding that they “both recorded on a track that regrettably will not be released at this time.”
Neither musician appeared on the album, and the recording he mentioned had never been issued.
Only in 2002 did the missing piece finally become audible: an alternative version of “Acknowledgement”, recorded the day after the main session and left unheard for almost 40 years. Take a listen here:
9 December 1964: The Classic Quartet session
The official album was created in a single evening at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The musicians were:
- John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Jimmy Garrison – bass
- Elvin Jones – drums
The quartet recorded all four movements of the suite — “Acknowledgement”, “Resolution”, “Pursuance”, and “Psalm” — with remarkable cohesion.
Coltrane conceived the work as a spiritual offering, and the music has a concentrated, devotional quality that reflects that intention. Once the session ended, the shape of the album was essentially complete.
10 December 1964: A different idea
The following day, Coltrane returned to the same studio with a different configuration. Joining the Classic Quartet were saxophonist Archie Shepp and an additional bassist in the form of Art Davis.
Shepp, then in his late twenties, was emerging as a key figure in the New York avant-garde. His work with Cecil Taylor and his own early recordings showcased a broader, more open approach to harmony and rhythm. Davis, meanwhile, was highly regarded for his precision and depth of sound.
Together, the group recorded a new, expanded version of “Acknowledgement”.
This take moves differently from the album version. The two basses create a denser, more flexible texture, and Shepp’s tone pulls the improvisation outward. Coltrane responds in kind.
This was not a replacement for the master take. It was an experiment — a parallel approach to the opening movement of the suite.
Why the track was not released
Coltrane’s liner notes provide the only contemporary explanation: the track “will not be released at this time.”
No additional reasoning was offered, but several practical and artistic factors make sense.
The suite was already complete
The 9 December recording had the unity and flow Coltrane wanted.
The Shepp take, while compelling, pointed toward a different aesthetic.
Label practice in the 1960s
Impulse! did not typically issue alternate takes on major works.
Unreleased material stayed in the vault unless there was a specific commercial reason to revisit it.
Aesthetic consistency
Adding a second, more exploratory version of “Acknowledgement” might have disrupted the album’s structure and focus.
With those considerations in mind, the 10 December tape was archived, noted briefly in the booklet, and effectively forgotten.
2002: The tape resurfaces
When Impulse! prepared A Love Supreme: Deluxe Edition in 2002, archivists reviewed the original session reels and transferred the Shepp/Davis recording for release. For the first time, listeners could hear the version Coltrane had referenced nearly four decades earlier.
The recording does not change how the original album is understood, but it adds important context. It shows Coltrane already engaging with ideas and musicians that would shape his work from 1965 onward.
Reassessing the significance
The appearance of Archie Shepp on this session aligns with Coltrane’s growing interest in younger avant-garde players. Within a year, his live groups would include Pharoah Sanders, Rashied Ali, and other musicians whose approach shared elements with Shepp’s sound.
The alternative “Acknowledgement” is historically important not because it challenges the released album, but because it highlights a transition point. It shows the bridge between the concentrated spirituality of A Love Supreme and the broader, freer sound world that followed.
Coltrane’s decision to thank Shepp and Davis in the liner notes, even though they did not appear on the album, makes more sense in light of this recording. He was acknowledging their influence and their presence in the studio during a crucial moment in his musical development.
The Additional Love Supreme Takes
The rediscovered Shepp take is a rare document of a turning point.
It captures Coltrane exploring another path within the framework of A Love Supreme, working with musicians whose ideas would soon shape his future direction.
For nearly 40 years, the recording existed only as a brief note in the booklet.
Hearing it today offers a deeper understanding of where Coltrane was — and where he was heading — in December 1964.