John Coltrane : NPR

John Coltrane's rapid stylistic evolution was not always admired as it is today: One critic called a 1961 performance "anti-jazz," and the label stuck with his detractors. Jan Persson/Courtesy of Concord Music Group hide caption

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Jan Persson/Courtesy of Concord Music Group

NPR's 'Jazz Profiles'

John Coltrane: Saxophone Icon, Pt. 2

June 25, 2008 • After years of playing with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, the saxophonist emerged as a jazz virtuoso by the end of the 1950s. But it was the restless exploration to follow that made him a pioneer of American music.

John Coltrane: Saxophone Icon, Pt. 2

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During multiple stints with Miles Davis' groups of the 1950s and early '60s, John Coltrane began to develop his signature sound. Evening Standard/Getty Images hide caption

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Evening Standard/Getty Images

NPR's 'Jazz Profiles'

John Coltrane: Saxophone Icon, Pt. 1

June 18, 2008 • The most influential jazz musician after bebop, the tenor saxophonist nurtured a career marked by rapid growth in improvisational technique and ideas. By the late 1950s, he had already produced his first masterpieces.

John Coltrane: Saxophone Icon, Pt. 1

53:43

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Arturo O'Farrill took over the baton of the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra from his father, Latin jazz pioneer Chico O'Farrill. John Abbott/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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John Abbott/Courtesy of the artist

February 14, 2008 • Boleros are a form of love song that originated in Cuba in the 19th century, and the lyrics reflect themes of bittersweet, unrequited, betrayed, or eternal love. Not all of these songs are strictly boleros, but they all maintain the tradition — and, more importantly, the feeling.

All Songs Considered

Music to Fall in Love With

February 13, 2008 • Hear a mix of music to fall in love with, from the Magnetic Fields and Arcade Fire to the Temptations and Sam Cooke.

Music to Fall in Love With

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Songs Of Love And Loathing

Forget Jewelry: Give Your Love Music

90.5 WESA

February 13, 2008 • Every year, Valentine's Day brings the same old sappy cards, chocolates, and heart-shaped jewelry — stuff that's nowhere near as special as retailers would have you believe. Why not impress your sweetheart with some music inspired by love instead?

All Songs Considered

Louis Prima, Miles Davis, John Coltrane

September 21, 2007 • Jazz singer and trumpeter Louis Prima; A live recording from Miles Davis from 1963; Legendary saxophonist John Coltrane; Moody, ethereal singer Pieta Brown; A rich world of sound from Joe Henry.

Louis Prima, Miles Davis, John Coltrane

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Music Interviews

Turtle Island Quartet Takes on 'A Love Supreme'

April 20, 2007 • Turtle Island Quartet has just released A Love Supreme, a take on the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and others. Violinist David Balakrishnan and cellist Mark Summer discuss how they transformed the jazz masterpiece for string quartet.

Turtle Island Quartet Takes on 'A Love Supreme'

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Review

Music Lists

Jazz 2005: Kevin Whitehead's Top 10

Fresh Air

December 21, 2005 • For lovers of jazz music, the year 2005 brought a wealth of reissues by critical artists from Jelly Roll Morton to John Coltrane. The music, the result of exhaustive archival and restoration work, adds new details to one of America's richest musical traditions.

Jazz 2005: Kevin Whitehead's Top 10

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Review

Music Reviews

Hearing New Music from Monk and Coltrane

Fresh Air

October 7, 2005 • Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall. It's a long-forgotten recording of a 1957 benefit concert, which has never been released until now.

Hearing New Music from Monk and Coltrane

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Music News

Unearthing Unknown Monk, Coltrane Recording

October 5, 2005 • Larry Appelbaum of the Library of Congress recordings division talks about previously undiscovered tapes of a 1957 Carnegie Hall performance of the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane.

Unearthing Unknown Monk, Coltrane Recording

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Music News

New Monk, Coltrane Recording Discovered

September 30, 2005 • In November 1957, an unprecedented lineup of jazz artists performed at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall, including Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. The recordings from that night were once lost, but were rediscovered earlier this year.

New Monk, Coltrane Recording Discovered

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All Songs Considered

Look Ahead: Fall 2005

September 21, 2005 • Bob Boilen speaks with All Things Considered music reviewers Tom Moon, Meredith Ochs and Will Hermes about some of the CDs they're most looking forward to this fall.

Look Ahead: Fall 2005

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Music News

Grunge, Rap Music Added to U.S. Recording Registry

April 5, 2005 • Glenn Miller's "In the Mood," Edward R. Murrow's wartime broadcasts from London and Public Enemy's influential hip-hop album Fear of a Black Planet are among the recordings added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.

Grunge, Rap Music Added to U.S. Recording Registry

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Music News

Jazz Memorabilia Auction in New York City

February 22, 2005 • In New York City this past weekend, a collection of jazz memorabilia went up on the auction block. Items offered for sale by Guernsey's Auction House included the original hand-written version of John Coltrane's poem A Love Supreme. NPR's Allison Keyes reports.

Jazz Memorabilia Auction in New York City

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