Although it is often reported that Coltrane and Hartman had known each other since their days playing with Dizzy Gillespie's band in the late 1940s, the truth is that their time in the band never overlapped. Coltrane might have heard Hartman sing at a 1950 Apollo Theater performance at which they shared the stage.Hartman is the only vocalist with whom the saxophonist would record as a leader. Initially when producer Bob Thiele approached Hartman with Coltrane's request that the two record together Hartman was hesitant as he did not consider himself a jazz singer and did not think he and Coltrane would complement one another musically.However, Thiele encouraged Hartman to go see Coltrane perform at Birdland in New York to see if something could be worked out. Hartman did so, and after the club closed he, Coltrane and Coltrane's pianist, McCoy Tyner, went over some songs together. On March 7, 1963, Coltrane and Hartman had decided on 10 songs for the record album, but en route to the studio they heard Nat King Cole on the radio performing "Lush Life", and Hartman immediately decided that song had to be included in their album.
The compilation was made that same day at the Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Hartman once said that each song was done in only one take, except for "You Are Too Beautiful", which required two takes because Elvin Jones dropped one of his drumsticks during the first take.In 2005, the raw tapes were reviewed by jazz archivist Barry Kernfeld, who documented there were actually complete alternate takes for all six songs that he considered "absolutely riveting."Until clear ownership of these tapes is established between the Coltrane family and Universal Music, there are no plans for their release.
John Coltrane – tenor sax
Jimmy Garrison – double bass
Johnny Hartman - vocals
Elvin Jones – drums
McCoy Tyner – piano

这张爵士男声发烧碟让我们充份感受到了英格伦华盛顿(lngram Washington)的嗓音魅力，他的嗓子沉稳而厚重，没有丝毫炫技的颤音，但又带有一种丝绒般的光滑质感，令人觉得非常温暖。美国出生的英格伦，年幼时受爵士乐大师们Arthur Prysock、Nat King Cole和Billy Eckstine等人的影响，吸取了各大师们演绎和情感表达的技巧而融会贯通，创出了一派慢条斯理、从容不逼，但别具感染力的独特个人风格。这张"What a dlfference a day makes"专辑是荷兰发烧品牌STS Digital最新为他出版的一张个人专辑，配搭的乐手阵容鼎盛，如编曲和弹琴的Cajan Witmer、 bass的Peter Bjornild和吹奏色士风的Olaf Hoeks，全是荷兰爵士乐界顶尖人马，今次连袂为英格伦制作这张大碟，可说冠盖云集。英格伦的嗓子低沉而醇厚，非常有磁性。
第一首主打歌What a difference a day makes一开首，英格伦己发挥出他那令人无法抗拒的独特魅力，他随意的口白似的哼出旋律，像是千帆过尽後的从容不迫。听落有少许苦涩的甘味，却让人回味无穷。My Funny Valentine和You were always on my mind有些country music味道，英格伦演绎得更加甜蜜和浪漫，不经意的流露出无限的爱意和甜蜜，令人陶醉不已。一曲Unforgettable，英格伦低回浅唱，充满著甜蜜细腻的爱情蜜语更几乎可以跟Nat King Cole媲美。Louis Armstrong的名曲What a wonderful World，英格伦散发出一种浑然天成的爵士韵致，人声和乐队交相辉映，在音符的流转之间。浪漫温情直漾心怀，在情感的传达上更显酣畅淋漓，实在是爵士乐的最高境界。STS Digital录爵士男声是认了第二，没有人敢认第一的发烧品牌，这张CD的人声和平衡度使到很多SACD也面目无光，我是毫无保留的推荐。