John Coltrane was always experimenting with jazz standards and jazz classics. Most of his recordings for Prestige label included songs by other composers. He loved Gershwin, Tad Dameron, Duke and Horace Silver. Although his playing was always unique, it was not before 1956 that he’s compositions were first revealed to the wide public.
“Nita” and “Straight Street” were a display of descending and ascending II V in different keys. “Nita” is a II V that goes up in a major or minor third jumps and it has AAB form that gets out the of the 32 bar form. “Straight Street” is a whole step descending II V progressions that resolved to the key of Ebm. But it has a twist along the way before it gets to the B section ( Ebm, E7, F#6, D7, Abm, Abm/Gb, Fm7b5-Bb7). The B section goes to different key areas but resolves wisely to the first chord of the A section through its sub five resolution with its related II chord( Gm7,C9 to Bm7). Coltrane continues to write tunes with II V progressions in different keys in his “Blue Trane” release.
Tunes like “Lazy Bird” and “Moments Notice” are most notable. The first is based on Dameron’s “Lady Bird”, the latter is a hint to Benny Golson’s “Stable mates.” It is also a half step relationship between the first consecutive II V in the beginning of the A section. Coltrane was always fascinated with the blues. He kept rewriting different blues changes. Most known were Mr. Day, Mr. Knight, Mr. Sims and the minor “Chronic Blues”. But he never left the simple I IV V blues changes either. “Chasin The Train” is certainly one of his best blues masterpieces. “Giant Steps” was a ground breaking composition. It incorporated a progression that Tad Dameron and Miles were initiating in the last 2 bars “turn around” of ”Lady Bird”/ “Half Nelson”. The constant structure major 7 chords motion of C, Eb, Ab, Db became C6, Eb7, Ab6, Db7 and then C6( MA7), Eb7, Ab6, B7, E6, G7 cycle. After practicing these new substitutions in twelve keys, Coltrane starterd to rewrite and rename his favorite tunes. Gm7, C7, F6 became Gm7 Ab7,Db6 E7, A6 C7, F6.
Most notable tune with theses changes were “26-2(”Confirmation”)”, “Satellite”(”Ornitology”), “Countdown”( “Tunune Up”), “Body And Soul”, Grand Central”, “Central Park West” and “Night and Day”. “Fifth House”(”Hot House”) is a good example of using these substitutions over one pedal point at the A section. Bass ostinato was another device that Coltrane used in his compositions. Good examples would be “Like Sonny” and “Equinox”. “Impression” is a two chord composition based on “So What”. It gave Coltrane a springboard to try to incorporate all his new modes and substituon chord within a minimal chordal context. Coltrane kept using blues and modal concepts in his compositions until 1965. I965-67 was a time of exploring more free form creations. “Ascension” is starting with a motif that hints the bass ostinato of “Acknowledgement” but it deals with different tonal centers without a time signature. His association with the great Rashied Ali have produced a landmark recording such as “Venus” and OM. Obviously, this music was totally different from Coltrane’s music from four or three years earlier. It seems that he was trying to concentrate more on the overall energy and spirit of the music. Maybe to be less concerned on all the musical “restrictions” such as time, tempo and harmony.
There are still a lot of musical device to explore in recordings like “Interstellar Space”,”Stellar Regions” or “Expression”. it is some of the best free jazz ever recorded. There is plenty of jazz history in Coltrane’s playing in there. He was the father figure for many free jazz artists, but I am not sure they all could play changes as good as he.
