the album 'ascension' played a profoundly important role in john coltrane's final period. recorded in june 1965, almost exactly two years before his death, this session marks coltrane's final stepping off point into free jazz. the album also marks a division for coltrane's fans, as there are some that applaud his final escape from jazz tradition while others simply couldn't follow him into the great unknown. one way or another, ascension refuses to be ignored. a stunning list of colleagues joins the legendary saxophonist on his final quest. besides his famed regular quartet, avant-garde saxophonists pharaoh sanders and archie shepp, extra bassist art davis, and even trumpet star freddie hubbard, among others, produce an intense sonic assault. if you're sensitive to dissonant noise and uncontrolled barrages of sound, ascension will offer you no comfort. however, the unbridled emotional onslaught that coltrane unleashes here dwarfs any other artist's entire output. love it or hate it, this is one album that's sure to stay on your mind long after its din has faded.