Cousin Mary

John Coltrane, 1926 to 1967, known for his distinctive "sheets of sound" is the most recognizable tenor saxophonist in history. Living to the age of 40, he spent the last 12 years of his life reshaping modern jazz by exploring the possibilities of modal improvisation more deeply than any other jazz musician. Sadly, like so many jazz musicians of the early to mid 1900′s, a hard life on the road combined with heroin use and liver cancer shortened the life of yet another jazz great.

John Coltrane means many things to many people. As an aspiring tenor saxophonist growing up in small town America, John Coltrane challenged my musical maturity. In all honesty, out of frustration, I put down my first John Coltrane recording and picked up Kenny G. I was not mature enough to grasp, or even understand what John Coltrane was doing. It was easier for me to listen to the more accessible music of main stream jazz. It wasn’t until the album, "Kind of Blue," that I really learned to understand and enjoy John Coltrane. His recording as sideman to Miles Davis helped to ease my transition into his Hard Bop style.

"Giant Steps" was his second album to be recorded by the Atlantic label marking the first time all of the pieces on a recording had been composed by John Coltrane. "Cousin Mary" is one of the more accessible tracks from the album. Please enjoy. Click on the album art below to play.