On September 19, 2000, Rhino Records reissued Coltrane Plays the Blues as part of its Atlantic 50th Anniversary Jazz Gallery series.

"[9] In a review for AllMusic, Richie Unterberger commented: "Coltrane's sessions for Atlantic in late October 1960 were prolific... My Favorite Things was destined to be the most remembered and influential of these, and while Coltrane Plays the Blues is not as renowned or daring in material, it is still a powerful session.

It's more indicative of a bluesy sensibility, whether he is playing muscular saxophone or... the more unusual sounding (at the time) soprano sax.

"[3] The authors of The Penguin Guide to Jazz wrote that the album is "often overlooked", and stated: "Much of the interest lies in Tyner's withdrawal from some of the numbers, a first experiment with a pianoless trio since Prestige days.

For that alone this recording would be important... Long-time Coltrane fans will fall in love with the clean, crisp sound.