John Coltrane Blue Train

In 1957, John Coltrane recorded Blue Train, his first and only album as a leader for the Blue Note label, which was released a few months later in 1958. And it's no small feat in the giant's discography. After recording with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane finally had his own group, marking the moment of his emancipation. Blue Train, like "blue Trane," already showcases the saxophonist's distinctive style, even if it's not yet fully developed. Coltrane plays with a broad, sweeping approach, descending octaves with elegance and ease, like an apprentice sorcerer already ahead of his time, creating deep, magnetic melodies that are elevated by his stellar collaborators (Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Philly Jones, Paul Chambers, and Kenny Drew). An essential recording for the history of jazz, setting the first stone of a long and fruitful journey.