How John Coltrane’s Soprano Saxophone Transformed The Jazz World

For all the stories of marathon practice sessions and gradual musical evolution, sometimes the smallest gesture changes the course of jazz history. That’s the case here: one small gift from Miles Davis redirected John Coltrane’s entire musical path…

In early 1960, Miles Davis walked into a shop in Europe and bought a soprano saxophone. It wasn’t for himself. It was for the musician who had been stretching the limits of his band every night on tour: John Coltrane.

The instrument wasn’t expensive, and Miles didn’t present it as a grand gesture. But the effect it had on Coltrane – and on modern jazz – was extraordinary. Within months, he had transformed a Rodgers and Hammerstein show tune into one of the most influential recordings of his career and paved the way for a new era of improvisation.

And, luckily for us—as you’ll see in this article—much of this evolution was captured on film, as Coltrane toured Europe.

The Moment That Changed Coltrane’s Sound

Miles had been watching Coltrane evolve rapidly within his group. He could sense that Coltrane was looking for a different texture, a new colour, and perhaps even a new direction.

During the 1960 European tour, Miles found a soprano saxophone in a shop and bought it for him. Coltrane had barely played the instrument before, but Miles encouraged him to experiment with it.

For Coltrane, the soprano was immediately intriguing. Its brighter, lighter tone gave him a fresh way to express ideas he had been developing for several years.

What followed was typical of Coltrane’s approach: intense practice, quick progress and a complete transformation of his musical possibilities.

A Broadway Song, Reimagined

Coltrane’s choice of material surprised many people. “My Favorite Things” was a song from The Sound of Music, not a standard associated with modern jazz improvisation. But Coltrane wasn’t searching for traditional forms anymore. He was looking for something he could stretch harmonically and rhythmically without the constraints of fast-moving chord changes.

On soprano, the melody took on a new character. Instead of navigating complex progressions, Coltrane used modal harmony to create a long, unfolding line. Repetition became part of the momentum. Sustained notes and patterns created a different kind of intensity, one rooted in rhythm and colour rather than rapid harmonic shifts.

By the time he entered the studio in October 1960, Coltrane had already played the tune extensively on tour. The version that appeared on the album My Favorite Things, released in 1961, captured the sound of an idea that had taken shape quickly but decisively. It was hypnotic, melodic and structurally bold, all at once.

1961: The Soprano Finds Its Place

Throughout 1961, Coltrane performed “My Favorite Things” at nearly every major concert. The live versions from this period show how central the soprano had become for him. The performances grew longer, the improvisations more expansive, and the interaction within the band more fluid.

Watching these European recordings, it becomes clear that the soprano changed Coltrane’s relationship to phrasing and space. The instrument allowed him to articulate long, spiralling lines that floated above McCoy Tyner’s chordal landscape. Elvin Jones’s drumming added a sense of forward motion that helped to sustain the extended form that Coltrane was developing.

Together, the musicians created a framework in which the soprano could thrive. Coltrane used it not as a novelty, but as a genuine second voice – one with its own emotional and musical identity.

The Enduring Impact of My Favourite Things

Coltrane’s soprano period lasted only a few years, but its impact continues to ripple through the music. The phrasing, the modal structures, the long-form improvising and the rhythmic momentum of “My Favorite Things” all became part of the vocabulary of later players. None of it would have sounded the same without that moment in 1960 when Miles Davis bought a horn that Coltrane didn’t yet know he needed.

It’s a reminder that major innovations in jazz often come from quiet beginnings. A chance purchase. A new sound. A player willing to push far beyond what the instrument seemed built for. The soprano sax became one of Coltrane’s defining voices, and the music he created with it still shows what can happen when a musician follows an idea all the way to its limit.