"Giant Steps" was John Coltrane’s debut on the Atlantic label. At that time he was still a member of the Miles Davis group which would soon record the immortal Kind of Blue. Giant Steps was a complete departure from the previous albums the saxophonist had recorded as a leader for the Prestige label.
It confirmed Coltrane’s importance in the jazz scene and was the first step towards leaving Miles to form his own quartet. The album received a five-star rating in Down Beat, with renowned critic Ralph J. Gleason stating that, “There seems to exist some feeling that John Coltrane, while granting him his importance as a major tenor influence, is a harsh-sounding player to whom it is difficult to listen. This LP, if it does nothing else, should dispel that idea quickly. There are times here when Coltrane is remarkably soft, lyrical, and just plain pretty. You can tag this LP as one of the important ones.”
PERSONNEL:
JOHN COLTRANE, tenor sax on all tracks, with:
A1-A2, B1 & B3: TOMMY FLANAGAN (p), PAUL CHAMBERS (b), ART TAYLOR (d).
New York, May 5, 1959.
A3-A4: Same personnel as above. New York, May 4, 1959.
B2: WYNTON KELLY (p), PAUL CHAMBERS (b), JIMMY COBB (d).
New York, December 2, 1959.
