Contrane Trane

John Coltrane was a brilliant jazz musician, and there really is no phase of his career that doesn't feature stunning sax work, but he was just learning how to run and lead a band (while trying to kick a heroin habit) when he recorded for Prestige Records in the mid- to late '50s. This set collects some of the highlights from that period, and while it includes wonderful early signature pieces like "Traneing In" and "Bahia," the full measure of Coltrane's talent and vision (and heroin-free music) was still mostly off in the future when these recordings were made. Trane elevated the tenor sax above its station in the big band era to be a supreme soloing instrument in the bop era. His intense stylings were uniquely creative and are still treasured by fans many decades removed from his tragically early death.