John Coltrane
Tenor Sax Solo on
Tune Up

About

John Coltrane's tenor sax solo is the second of three solos on this performance, following Miles Davis on trumpet. Spanning seven choruses of the 16-bar form in B♭ at a blazing 316 BPM with a swing feel, davis takes two choruses, Coltrane two, and Garland one and a half. Coltrane navigates the rapid harmonic rhythm with fluid technique, weaving intricate melodic lines that maintain coherence and swing at this challenging tempo. "Tune Up/When Lights Are Low" from Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is a medley that pairs two contrasting compositions, recorded during the prolific 1956 session at Rudy Van Gelder's studio.

John Coltrane was 29 to 30 years old at the time.