Giant Steps (180G Vinyl LP)

When the ‘Giant Steps’ album was finally put to bed Coltrane had only a short time left as an employee of Miles Davis, he finally departed in April 1960, albeit on friendly terms. Recorded in 1959 and released by Atlantic Records the following year, ‘Steps’ proved to carry a prophetic title as the Saxophonist was about to enter his most creative years. However, returning to this album, we find Coltrane in the kind of commanding form that can still impress over 50 years after its creation and cemented his need for a group under his own name. Just one listen to the manner in which he rips through the changes on the title track, or the sheer technical brilliance he brings to ‘Countdown’ proves how ready he was to move on. All the compositions were supplied by him, and the majority became Jazz classics with the beautiful ‘ Naima’ coming as close to a theme tune as he ever had.