On this landmark anniversary of 50 years since the passing of John Coltrane, we tip our hat to the legendary jazz giant. A one-of-a-kind.

The Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a posthumous Special Citation to John Coltrane in 2007 for his lifetime of innovated and influential work. Put perfectly, the citation praises Coltrane for “his masterful improvisation, supreme musicianship and iconic centrality to the history of jazz.” The committee said of Coltrane: “His exalted stature arises from his composition and recordings. In A Love Supreme, he produced an imposing composition expressing faith. In Africa/Brass Selections, he achieved astonishing orchestral feats. His work has weight, an artistic quest, and searching nature. Coltrane infused the existing tradition with innovation and radical approaches. The surface of his music is dynamic and palpable, the underlying structure is suffused with spirituality and provocative political content.”

John Coltrane - September 23, 1926 - July 17, 1967

Melbourne fans can check out the acclaimed new documentary Chasing Train at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August. More details here.