Editing John Coltrane (section)

== Musical Development ==

Coltrane's Philadelphia years saw his transformation from competent sideman to distinctive voice. His tenure with Thelonious Monk in 1957 proved particularly influential, as Monk's harmonic innovations challenged Coltrane to expand his conception. His return to Miles Davis's group later that year initiated the classic quintet/sextet period that produced landmark albums including "Kind of Blue." During this period, Coltrane began recording as a leader, with albums including "Blue Train" (1958) establishing his reputation as a major artist.<ref name="ratliff"/>

The musical approach Coltrane developed—which critics called "sheets of sound" for its rapid, cascading runs through harmonic possibilities—distinguished him from other saxophonists. His technical facility enabled exploration of harmonic territory that less accomplished musicians could not reach, while his emotional intensity gave even his most complex passages spiritual urgency. These characteristics, developed through Philadelphia years of intensive practice and performance, became defining features of his mature style.<ref name="porter"/>