Jazz legend John Coltrane’s posthumous studio album Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album has charted in the top 20 of the Official Album Chart, marking the pioneering saxophonist's biggest opening week sales and highest chart position of all time.

Nestled alongside releases from the likes of multi-million-sellers Ed Sheeran, Drake and Florence & The Machine, the newly discovered studio album, which features never-before-heard compositions recorded by Coltrane’s Classic Quartet in 1963, has charted at number 15, and becomes the oldest original recording to chart this year.

The success of the album reflects the growing resurgence in the popularity of jazz, which has seen rising ticket sales, a younger, more diverse audience and a marked increase in popular media coverage. US saxophonist Kamasi Washington’s latest album Heaven And Earth charted at number 13 last week and the furore surrounding the announcement of the new Coltrane album sees two instrumental jazz albums, released in consecutive weeks, in the main pop chart.  

Martin Talbot, Official Chart Company:

“It is quite remarkable that it has taken until 2018 for John Coltrane to register a chart hit album – and says everything about the British public’s love for classic, timeless jazz.”

Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album is released on Impulse! Records/Decca.

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