John Coltrane (1926–1967) was an American saxophonist and composer, one of the most influential musicians in the history of jazz. Despite a comparatively short life, he passed through a colossal creative evolution — from bebop to a free, spiritually charged avant-garde.
His virtuoso, rapid manner of playing, which critic Ira Gitler aptly called “sheets of sound” (1958), astonished with its technical perfection and unceasing search. Landmark works are “Giant Steps,” with its dizzying harmonies, and the deeply meditative, almost prayerful album “A Love Supreme,” in which music becomes a form of spiritual seeking. Coltrane raised the role of the saxophone in jazz to a new height and inspired countless musicians to seek their own voice. His legacy remains a model of devotion to art and of boundless creative courage.
