John Coltrane Tenor Saxophone September 23, 1926 -- July 17, 1967

John Coltrane

"Rarely, I think, in any form of music has one man so thoroughly revealed himself in the act of music."

--Nat Hentoff

Born in Hamlet, North Carolina, John Coltrane began his study of music with the alto horn and clarinet when he was fifteen. Later, after a hitch in the Navy, he played with King Kolax, Eddie Vinson (switching to tenor), some spotted gigs with Howard McGhee of the Apollo in New York, Dizzy Gillespie's big band, Lonnie Slappy in Philadelphia, Guy Crosse in Cleveland, Earl Bostic and Johnny Hodges.

In 1955 Trane joined the Miles Davis Quintet for what turned out to be more than a year and a half gig and is currently a member of the Thelonious Monk Quartet. Trane feels that working with Miles and Monk have been "invaluable musical experiences." His employment with each of these giants has provided him with an education that most musicians could not acquire in a lifetime.

In addition Miles, and now Monk, have never inhibited John's musical sense of freedom. He is able to experiment while on the stand with no fear of being called down and with a good chance of being congradulated.

John, though highly self-critical, has broad and varied tastes when it comes to others. His favorites are many; Miles ("His style of playing is very interesting to me. He has a very good knowledge of harmonics and chord structure. I used to talk with him quite often."), Dizzy, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Joe Gordon, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Sonny Stitt, Cliff Jordan, Monk ("He plays with a whole range of chords. I had never heard anything like it before and I've learned a lot from him."), Red Garland, Kenny Drew, Phineas Newborn, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware, Earl May, Cannonball Adderley, Jackie McLean, J.J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller and Milt Jackson.

--ROBERT LEVIN, from the liner notes,
Blue Train, Blue Note.

A selected discography of John Coltrane albums.

• Dakar, 1957, Prestige.
• Blue Train, 1957, Blue Note.
• Soultrane, 1958, Prestige.
• Cannonball & Coltrane, 1959, Mercury.
• Giant Steps, 1959, Atlantic.
• My Favorite Things, 1960, Atlantic.

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