The album was recorded in the midst of Coltrane's residency at the Five Spot as a member of the Thelonious Monk quartet. The personnel include Coltrane's once and future Miles Davis bandmates, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Pianist Kenny Drew had released a trio album the year before on Riverside Records with Chambers and Jones as his sidemen. Both trumpeter Lee Morgan and trombonist Curtis Fuller were up-and-coming jazz musicians, and both would be members of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, although not together.