John Coltrane Profiles

One of the finest podcasts that a jazz lover (or jazz student) could ever subscribe to or listen to is NPR's Jazz Profiles. A wealth of knowledge about some of the world's greatest jazz artists are contained within. What is special about Jazz Profiles is that you hear about the music from the artists themselves and their peers. They recount what went down during the recording sessions between the artists and what inspired the compositions. These are often rich, beautiful stories, being passed down from those that experienced the moments.

One of the finest of the series is John Coltrane's Jazz Profile, in two parts. An often misunderstood musician, this great artist was perhaps the most important figure in modern jazz. Starting as a be-bop player influenced primarily by Parker and Diz, he pushed the jazz art form to new heights letting his passion for his tenor saxophone and his spirituality move the music in directions never heard before. Now virtually any sax player must study and learn from Trane on his or her journey to becoming a jazz player.

Trane's later years were particularly controversial, as he introduced forms into his music void of rhythm and traditional chordal structures. However, listening to these programs on John Coltrane will surely give you a better appreciation for this man's passion in his music, and the direction it ultimately led.

Here are the links to John Coltrane - Profile in Jazz from NPR
Part 1
Part 2