John Coltrane

American saxophonist and jazz composer (born September 23, 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina, USA; died July 17, 1967 in Huntington, Long Island, New York, USA (aged 40) from liver cancer).
Coltrane's early recordings caught a musician in the confines of bebop and hardbop, but his enduring legacy primarily rests on the modal jazz pioneered by his classic quartet (1961-65) and by free jazz explorations late in his career. Extensively recorded as a leader (mainly for ), he appeared as a sideman on many albums, performing with other major figures in jazz such as Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. As his life progressed, his music and outlook became increasingly spiritual.