Chi Coltrane’s Self-titled 1972 Album Features The Rockin’ Single “Thunder And Lightning”!

In the early Seventies, when Chi Coltrane was seen and heard in Europe on TV singing her hit “Thunder And Lightning”, the critics believed that they could once again celebrate a Lady of Rock. People in the USA, spoilt for choice when it came to great vocalists, were hoping to find someone worthy of following in Janis Joplin’s footsteps, but the blond lady at the piano was judged somewhat warily: a great voice and a forceful keyboard style were not enough to rock one’s way from Chicago’s clubs into the top line-up of America’s best rock and soul singers. It was however, these years of singing live that prepared Chi Coltrane’s way to creating an impressive recording presence, which is well demonstrated in this album. The producer put together a studio group that set Chi’s youthful, powerful voice on fire with its soul-like brass section. Tender emotions are found in the more tranquil numbers: “Goodbye John” is full of yearning, and the ballad “The Tree” glows with heart-warming woodland romance thanks to contributions from the horns. But Chi’s voice comes over best in numbers such as in “You Were My Friend”, or in exhilarating Gospel songs (“Go Like Elijah”), where she can belt out the text and lend it further weight with powerful chords on the piano.

“It’s clear from the opening moments of Chi Coltrane’s self-titled debut that she’s a singer/songwriter a few musical cuts above the rest. Primarily, this is down to her piano playing. Where even the most respected artists of the genre could only play basic block chords or arpeggios (Laura Nyro and Joni Mitchell, respectively), Coltrane is a player’s player, and the equal of any session musician. The 11 songs on Chi Coltrane give her ample opportunity to show off. “Thunder and Lightning” (an absolute white soul gem) was her first single and a Top 20 hit, but it tells only a fraction of the story. The rest of the album displays a complete mastery and understanding of gospel (“Go Like Elijah”), as well music of both the Classical and Romantic periods (“The Wheel of Life”), and in addition, she comes up with a few hybrids of her own (“You Were My Friend”). Her vocals, alternatively tender, spirited, angry, and with a wonderful on-the-verge-of-tears quality, are at odds with the dreamy inertia of most mid-’70s performers. They invest every cut with a compelling sense of drama and anxiety. Coltrane may not be a top-drawer wordsmith (although she’s certainly quite good), but her lyrics are clear-headed, unpretentious, and direct. For subject matter, she draws mainly on love, friendship, religion (tentatively), and philosophy. Although much press attention focused on her glacial, blonde good looks (think a less scary, pre-heroin Nico), this album was a triumph of style and substance in equal measure.” – Charles Donovan, allmusic.com