John Coltrane
Tenor Sax Solo on
Like Sonny

About

John Coltrane's tenor sax solo is the first of three solos on this recording. Spanning four choruses of the 24-bar ABA form in E♭ at a brisk 150 BPM with a swing feel, Coltrane stretches to four choruses on tenor saxophone, one more than on either the master take or the other alternate, suggesting a deeper dive into the composition's 24-bar ABA form in E-flat at approximately 150 BPM. Coltrane's tenor saxophone work reflects a balance of technical fluency and melodic storytelling, building intensity through the course of the improvisation.

John Coltrane was 32 to 33 years old at the time.