John Coltrane
Soprano Sax Solo on
Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise

About

John Coltrane's soprano saxophone solo is the second of two solos on this uptempo Village Vanguard reading of "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," following McCoy Tyner's piano. He takes four choruses of the 32-bar AABA form at approximately 207 BPM, his high, nasal soprano tone cutting through the rhythm section with urgent, spiraling lines that push against the form's boundaries. The soprano saxophone was still a relatively novel choice for Coltrane at this point, and his approach carries a distinct quality from his tenor work, more keening and insistent. Elvin Jones's polyrhythmic drumming throughout provides a masterclass in interactive accompaniment, rising and falling in dialogue with each soloist.

John Coltrane was 34 to 35 years old at the time.