John Coltrane

John Coltrane-(Saint John William Coltrane)- John Coltrane grew up in Hamlet, North Carolina. He studied jazz theory in his teens. It all began for Coltrane when he went to the Navy. He began playing with a few other background artists on his tenor sax. After playing with other Naval members he moved to Philly' for freelance work. A declining Miles Davis contacted him during the late 40's. The two grouped up and formed what was known as the "First Great Quintet." Their success was long-lived. Both Coltrane and Davis's heroin addictions led to the break up of their band after a year. John Coltrane's later life was full of success. Mid life, canonization by the African Orthodox Church left him a Saint. He pioneered the use of modes, "The changing of scales by use of semitones." Not only did he pioneer the basics but he became the leading free jazz improvisor and forefront of free jazz which lasted into the 50's. After multiple quintet's, Coltrane played with the Duke Ellington band and became a true jazz giant. His death shocked many, for it was liver cancer. Very few people knew of his actual condition at the time. His legacy will forever live on. His witty and melodic harmonization makes John Coltrane the second most important jazz saxophonist ever.