Archive · 23 Sep 2026
John Coltrane’s Century-Long Influence Still Shapes Global Music
John Coltrane was an American musician who played the saxophone.
He was born in 1926 and became one of jazz’s most important artists.
He learned from and performed with musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.
Coltrane worked hard to create new ways of playing melodies and chords.
He also studied music from India and other parts of the world.
His albums included My Favorite Things, Impressions and A Love Supreme.
A Love Supreme was a deeply spiritual piece of music.
Although Coltrane died in 1967, musicians around the world still learn from and admire his work.
Born on September 23, 1926, John Coltrane became a pioneering American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer.
He developed through work with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk before leading his own influential groups.
Coltrane’s modal approach and interest in Indian, African and other musical traditions expanded jazz’s possibilities.
His major recordings included My Favorite Things, Impressions, A Love Supreme and Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue.
Coltrane died on July 17, 1967, but his influence continues across jazz, rock and other genres worldwide.
- Who
- John Coltrane, an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer, along with collaborators including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk.
- What
- The article marks Coltrane’s birth centenary and examines his lasting influence on jazz and music across genres.
- When
- Coltrane was born on September 23, 1926, and died on July 17, 1967; the article discusses his influence 100 years after his birth.
- Where
- His career developed in Philadelphia, New York and Long Island, while his music drew on traditions from across the world.
- Why
- Coltrane expanded jazz through technical experimentation, modal playing, spiritual composition and engagement with international musical traditions.
- Birth
- September 23, 1926
- Death
- July 17, 1967
- Profession
- Jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer
- Key collaborators
- Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk
- Notable recordings
- My Favorite Things, Impressions and A Love Supreme
- Influential Davis album
- Kind of Blue, released in 1959
- Musical interests
- Indian, African, Spanish, Scottish and Chinese musical traditions