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John ColtraneSaxophonist John Coltrane combined great emotion with excellent musicianship and discipline with freedom. Like Parker, he did not have an extensive career (compared to Armstrong and Ellington). It lasted about twelve years, from 1955 to 1967. His influence however proved far-reaching. Through his short career he charted a unique musical course through a variety of jazz styles, contributing to each along the way. COLTRANE’S MUSICAL EVOLUTIONThroughout his career Coltrane continued to explore increasingly experimental music to ultimately become jazz’s leading avant-garde performer. He began this evolution from a bop/hard bop and modal context and ended in the free experimental setting of his late quartet.INNOVATIONSColtrane had two important influences on his musical development, bebop and modal jazz. His musical output proved to extend both of this influential musical styles. He developed his own harmonic style often called "Coltrane Changes" as he extended the bop tradition. His personal more atonal style proved to have a lasting influence on avant-garde jazz.LEGACYColtrane opened the path for others such as Archie Shepp through his conviction that improvisation could continue past all existing melodic considerations, harmonic considerations, and rhythmic flow. |