Photo: Hugo van Gelderen

John Coltrane would have celebrated his 88th birthday on the 23rd. His status as one of the most universally beloved, admired, and imitated jazz artists has held true for more than half a century. In 2012, Jazz at Lincoln Center hosted a John Coltrane festival, and in preparation for that, we asked several artists to discuss the impact of John Coltrane, as well as to list their favorite Trane albums. What resulted was a remarkable range of albums from every corner of Trane’s career. Have a look! (spoiler: A Love Supreme makes many, many lists)

Artists on Trane:

“To me the sound of John Coltrane’s musical voice speaks directly to my soul and uplifts my entire being. I enjoy many of Coltrane’s recordings but ‘A Love Supreme,’ ‘Transition,’ and ‘John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’ come to mind as favorites.” – Azar Lawrence

“John Coltrane, with perhaps the exception of Charlie Parker, is the most influential saxophonist of all time. People are drawn to his deep sense of harmony, his lyricism, and his spirituality. Ironically, it is this sense of spirituality that younger players often miss when they emulate him, focusing more on the notes he was playing rather than the feeling behind them. No matter how free Trane played, how far he stretched, he always had melody and blues in his solos. 

Coltrane’s effect on a string of great New York based tenor players in the late 70s – Bob Berg, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, and Steve Grossman in particular – is probably the primary reason for my moving there from Los Angeles. There was an energy I needed to be around. Even though I never met Trane, or heard him live, the connection to his energy through these other players fed my soul.” – Ted Nash

“The love and passion on each John Coltrane recording teach and guide us with the truth of Life and Music. Not to copy, but to understand the journey.” –Joe Lovano

“John Coltrane’s dedication and devotion to the music is divine, which has the potential to bring out the goodness in people. His consistent practice and yearning for perfection of his art has greatly inspired me as a musician. On a personal level, as with any profound discipline, he has taught me more about the importance of positive thinking, committed hard work, patience, and endurance throughout one’s life.” –Walter Blanding

Favorite Coltrane Albums (click on the artist’s name to see his/her website and learn more)

Ted Nash (favorite Coltrane songs)
1) “You Say You Care” from Soultrane (Prestige, 1958)
2) “Giant Steps” from Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
3) “Naima” from Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
4) “Someday My Prince Will Come” from Miles Davis’ album Someday My Prince Will Come (Columbia, 1961)
5) A Love Supreme (full suite) (Impulse!, 1965)

Steve Coleman
1) Live! At the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1963)
2) Transition (Impulse!, 1970)
3) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
4) Interstellar Space (Impulse!, 1974)
5) Expression (Impulse!, 1967)

EJ Strickland
1) Live at Birdland (Impulse!, 1963)
2) Coltrane Plays the Blues (Atlantic, 1962)
3) Ballads (Impulse!, 1963)
4) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
5) My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1961)

Wynton Marsalis
1) Transition (Impulse!, 1970)
2) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
3) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Impulse!, 1963)
4) Coltrane Plays the Blues (Atlantic, 1962)
5) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)
6) Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
7) Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (Impulse!, 1963)

Eric Reed (favorite Trane performances on specific songs)
1) Milt Jackson and John Coltrane – “The Late Late Blues” from Bags and Trane (Atlantic, 1961)
2) John Coltrane – “Little Old Lady” from Coltrane Jazz (Atlantic, 1961)
3) John Coltrane – “Crescent” from Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)
4) John Coltrane – “Impressions” from Newport ’63 (Impulse!, 1993)
5) Thelonious Monk Quartet featuring John Coltrane – “Trinkle Tinkle” from Live at the Five Spot-Discovery! (Blue Note, 1993)

Chad Eby
1) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
2) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)
3) Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1962)
4) Live at Birdland (Impulse!, 1963)
5) Kulu Sé Mama (Impulse!, 1967)

Mark Fransman
1. Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1962)
2. My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1961)
3. Coltrane Jazz (Atlantic, 1961)
4. Coltrane’s Sound (Atlantic, 1964)
5. Living Space (Impulse!, 1998)

Branford Marsalis
1) Coltrane (Impulse!, 1962)
2) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
3) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)
4) Ascension (Impulse!, 1965)
5) Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1962)

Mulgrew Miller
1) Blue Train (Blue Note, 1957)
2) Live at Birdland (Impulse!, 1963)
3) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)
4) Coltrane Plays the Blues (Atlantic, 1962)
5) Coltrane’s Sound (Atlantic, 1964)

Joe Lovano
1) Soultrane (Prestige, 1958)
2) Coltrane’s Sound (Atlantic, 1964)
3) Live! At the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1962)
4) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)
5) Meditations (Impulse!, 1965)
6) Stellar Regions (Impulse!, 1995)

Tineke Postma
1) Newport ‘63 (Impulse!, 1993)
2) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
3) Coltrane Plays the Blues (Atlantic, 1962)
4) The Complete Graz Concert 1962 (Charly, 1962)
5) Coltrane’s Sound (Atlantic, 1964)

Oliver Lake
1) Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
2) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)

Cindy Blackman
1) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
2) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Impulse!, 1963)
3) Blue Train (Blue Note, 1957)
4) Live at the Village Vanguard (Impulse!, 1962)
5) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)

Sharel Cassity
“Since Blue Train, Giant Steps and A Love Supreme get an automatic pass in my book, after that my top five are…”
1) My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1961)
2) The Complete Graz Concert 1962 (Charly, 1962)
3) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Impulse!, 1963)
4) Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (Impulse!, 1963)
5) Crescent (Impulse!, 1964)

McCoy Mrubata
1) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
2) Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
3) Olé Coltrane (Atlantic, 1962)
4) My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1961)
5) Impressions (Impulse!, 1963)

Aaron Diehl
1) My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1961)
2) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
3) Coltrane Jazz (Atlantic, 1961)
4) Newport ‘63 (Impulse!, 1993)
5) Coltrane Time (United Artists Records, 1959 – as Stereo Drive)

Myron Walden
5) Ballads (Impulse!, 1962)
“I am inspired as to how they were able to present short arrangements such that, as a listener, I am left satisfied. As a musician I am left mesmerized.”
4) Coltrane Plays the Blues (Atlantic, 1962)
“To think that the entire recording consists of just the Blues. This recording demonstrated the band’s resourcefulness and creativity, as well as control and restraint.”
3) Coltrane (Impulse!, 1962)
“This is probably my ‘desert island’ Trane. From the first tune the rhythm section sets a hypnotic, trance-like motif and they don’t let go of it. I love how they play together and weave their voices together to make a single tapestry of sound.”
2) Dear Old Stockholm (Impulse!, 1965)
“Listening to this recording you can hear the history as well as the future of jazz. It’s interesting to have Roy Haynes on drums and hear how the band’s sound has a slightly different vibe, while at the same time maintaining its core sound.”
1) Soultrane (Prestige, 1958)
“This is one of my first Trane recordings. I love how fluid he is with his phrasing.”

Sherman Irby
“In no particular order, even though Lush Life is probably my favorite…”
1) Coltrane’s Sound (Atlantic, 1964)
2) A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965)
3) Lush Life (Prestige, 1961)
4) Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960)
5) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Impulse!, 1963)