FREE COLTRANE TRIBUTE CONCERT FEATURING CAMILLE THURMAN &DARRELL GREEN AND

Coltrane’s artistry was not only technical but deeply spiritual. His relentless pursuit of beauty and truth turned music into a vehicle for transcendence. From bebop to the avant-garde, he expanded the possibilities of jazz while offering listeners a message of peace, devotion, and discovery. Today, his work continues to inspire musicians across genres and spiritual seekers worldwide.Legacy

John William Coltrane (1926–1967) was one of the most transformative figures in twentieth-century music. A saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, Coltrane reshaped jazz through groundbreaking improvisation, spiritual depth, and fearless innovation.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Coltrane played with Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Bostic, and Johnny Hodges, mastering ensemble and big-band work. His breakthrough came in 1955 when he joined Miles Davis’s First Great Quintet, appearing on landmark albums including Kind of Blue (1959). Around the same time, he worked with Thelonious Monk, whose harmonic complexity pushed Coltrane toward the “sheets of sound” style—dense, cascading runs of notes that became a signature.

Coltrane emerged as a leader with Blue Train (1957) and redefined harmonic language with Giant Steps (1960). His soprano saxophone performance on My Favorite Things (1960) brought him international recognition, transforming a Broadway tune into a spiritual meditation.

From 1960 to 1965, Coltrane led his legendary “classic quartet” with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. Together they forged an intensely powerful sound captured on albums such as Impressions (1963), Crescent (1964), and the deeply spiritual masterpiece A Love Supreme (1965). This four-part suite, described by Coltrane as a “humble offering to God,” remains one of the most celebrated recordings in jazz history. In his final years, Coltrane pushed further into the avant-garde, expanding his ensembles and embracing freer forms on albums like Ascension (1965) and Meditations (1966). Though controversial at the time, these works helped shape the future of experimental and free jazz.

• Blue Train (1957)

• Giant Steps (1960)

• My Favorite Things (1960)

• Live at the Village Vanguard (1961)

• Impressions (1963)

• Crescent (1964)

• A Love Supreme (1965)

• Ascension (1965)

• Grammy Awards: Best Jazz Performance (1982); Lifetime Achievement Award (1992)

• Grammy Hall of Fame: My Favorite Things, A Love Supreme, Giant Steps

• Pulitzer Prize Special Citation (2007)

• DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame (1965)

• Canonized as Saint John Coltrane by the African Orthodox Church

• Dix Hills, NY home listed on the National Register of Historic Places

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