Biography of John Coltrane

John Coltrane stands as the supreme jazz icon of the '50s to the present, even though Miles Davis enjoyed a wider profile among the pop and rock crowd. Coltrane's fame and controversial evolution from devoted traditionalist to radical innovator made him the major stylist in an era when saxophonists ruled jazz circles. Coltrane's music moved through many phases; from instrumental R&B and routine, though brillantly played bebop into his "sheets of sound" concept where he moved from strict chord progressions into a "modal" manner using false fingerings to extend the tenor's upper range and option of tone colors. Later came the free era, with its human-like cries, amazingly intense delivery, and dense, dissonant sound. Coltrane sometimes played poignant, lovely songs; other times strained, groaned and screamed, pushing the horn out beyond not just musical, but almost human boundaries. Coltrane learned E-flat alto horn, clarinet and alto sax in his youth. After moving from North Carolina to Philadelphia, he enrolled at the Ornstein School of Music and the Granoff Studios. His studies were disturbed by a stint in the service. He was stationed in Hawaii. Coltrane then played alto sax in Joe Webb and King Kolax's bands, then switched to tenor when he joined "Cleanhead" Eddie Vinson in 1947 and 1948. He alternated between alto and tenor in the late '40s playing with Jimmy Heath, Howard McGhee, Dizzy Gillespie and Earl Bostic. He made his first recording with Gillespie in 1949. Coltrane opted to specialize on tenor by the mid-'50s, when he joined Johnny Hodges' band. He didn't perform regularly for a stretch in 1954, then joined Miles Davis in 1955 for his first stint. He next played with Monk, but only participated in a few recording sessions due to contractural conflicts. Coltrane rejoined Davis and played in various quintets and sextets, making classic sessions in the late '50s and early '60s. Davis' concept of freeing players from the confines of structure would also influence Coltrane. Coltrane worked in the '50s with three invigorating, creative and distinctive pianists; Monk, Mal Waldron and Cecil Taylor. He began playing the soprano while with Davis, buying his first one in 1960 and recording on it for Atlantic. Coltrane began his own band in 1960, but took a few months to get the personnel he wanted. McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones joined early in 1960, but Jimmy Garrison wasn't on board until 1961. At times, Coltrane added Eric Dolphy as a second saxophonist, Reggie Workman (Garrison's predecessor) and Art Davis as second bassists and Roy Haynes as the preferred substitute whenever Elvin Jones wasn't available. The Coltrane quartet of the early and mid-'60s became the sound and voice for a jazz generation. The quartet made records with Duke Ellington guesting on piano and accompanying ballad singer Johnny Hartman, yet also cut furious works with 15-20 minute songs. Tyner's solos, with their two-handed octave leaping flurries and slow, steadily building pace set the stage for Coltrane's ear-catching entrances and equally awesome solos. Coltrane would repeat lines, phrases, even notes, then suddenly shift direction. His interpretations of "My Favorite Things" and other pop songs created, recreated, destroyed and then rebuilt melodies and statements. Garrison and Jones could interact with Tyner, work off him, duel with Trane or support him. But by the mid-'60s, Coltrane's music had changed one more time, and he made changes in his group. Pharoah Sanders was added as permanent second saxophonist, and his wife Alice became the pianist. Rashied Ali was briefly the second drummer, then became the only drummer when Elvin Jones left. The music became even more intense, and the Coltrane/Sanders solos were vivid, frenzied dialogues. Right-wing critics were scandalized, while left-wing types were quick to believe Coltrane's late '60s music was an expression of solidarity with the oppressed. Coltrane expressed passionate religious feelings and named compositions and albums after specific phrases. He'd been studying Asian and Eastern philosophy and music since the early '60s, and now embraced it even more. But he managed to win Downbeat polls in spite of savage reviews. A Love Supreme was widely acclaimed as a masterpiece in 1964; others saw it as the ultimate end to their devotion to his music. Sadly, Coltrane died in 1967 at the age of 40. Rhino, as part of their distribution/reissue deal with Atlantic, issued an interesting anthology in 1993, though they neatly avoided all but a snippet of his late '60s work. MCA/GRP, the holders of the ABC/Impulse masters, have been issuing numerous concept albums, samplers, anthologies, and a few classic dates. Coltrane's complete Prestige recordings, excepting those available in the Miles Davis boxed set, are available in a multi-disc deluxe package. Individual releases on Atlantic, Pablo and other import labels, plus his sole Blue Note date Blue Train are also available. Many music publications marked the 25th anniversary of his death in 1992, and there were also musical specials on several jazz radio stations. ~ Ron Wynn and Myles Boisen