By John Batanchiev

During the free form period in the 1950s, a man was emerging that was to take jazz to heights that would be impossible. That man was John Coltrane. On Giant Steps, his first recording with his own compositions, Coltrane introduces his extraordinary ability of improvising on simple melodic lines.

The title track ” Giant Steps,” called this because of Coltrane’s description of what the bass line sounded like. It is a classic example of what Coltrane could produce through simple melodies and taking them wherever he pleased.

For those unfamiliar to Coltrane’s style, it is a style of no true key, of fast playing and arpeggios constantly running around the bass line. In the linear notes, a former companion, Miles Davis, who had Coltrane in his own band defends him as a misunderstood instrumentalist. What Miles Davis describes is a perfect way to understand the style of Coltrane, “what he does, for example, is to play five notes of a chord and then keep changing it around, trying to see how many different ways it can sound. It’s like explaining something five different ways. And that sound of his is connected with what he’s doing with the chords at any given time.” Coltrane shows his diverse ability on songs of speed like “Countdown” to songs so romantic like the magical “Naima,” a prelude to another great Coltrane album. “Syeeda’s Song Flute” contains one of the most catchy lines with one of the most interesting rhythms on the album. Giant Steps is a very involved and complex album with musical language flowing between the musicians on these six tracks. Giant Steps was his breaking point as an instrumentalist. Coltrane was so much of an influence that he struck respect from rockers of the 1960’s. One example of total respect was from the Byrd’s, who stole one of his melody lines in “Asia” and placed it in their drug anthem “8 Miles High” as its hook.

When it comes to jazz albums Giant Steps is a must for any person who likes jazz. For those who are looking for something else to expand their musical borders Giant Steps could make them enjoy the free flow of John Coltrane as he takes you one giant step at a time. ?