dclvi. COLTRANE, John: Giant Steps

dclvi. COLTRANE, John (1926-1967)

Giant Steps (1960)
JC, tenor saxophone
Tommy Flanagan, piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Art Taylor, drums
(4:47)

from Giant Steps

This famous standard -- practiced by any musician trying to gain fluency with rapidly shifting changes -- is de rigeur.

Observe how every single note has a different chord attached to it. After outlining a descending B Minor chord in the first three notes, he goes ii/V/I to G Major, outlines a descending G Minor chord -- moves to B Major, then ii/V/I to E-Flat Major; ii/V/I to G Major; ii/V/I to B Major; again to E-Flat Major; and finally back to B Major.

And here's the first six choruses of his solo, courtesy of Bruce Saunders. His solo starts with the final bar ...