John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 - July 17, 1967),
nicknamed Trane, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.
Although recordings of his work from as early as 1946 exist,
Coltrane's recording career did not begin in earnest until 1955.
Coltrane initially played alongside luminaries like Dizzy
Gillespie, Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis, and after 1957, recorded
and produced dozens of albums, many released posthumously.
Throughout his career Coltrane's music took on an increasingly
spiritual dimension that would color his legacy. His conception of
expression in jazz became increasingly mystical, agnostic and
cathartic.
Coltrane has been credited with reshaping modern jazz and being
the predominant influence on successive generations of
saxophonists. Like tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Lester
Young, and Ben Webster before him, Coltrane fundamentally altered
expectations for the instrument.
Coltrane received a posthumous Special Citation from the
Pulitzer Prize Board in 2007 for his "masterful improvisation,
supreme musicianship and iconic centrality to the history of
jazz."
