John Coltrane’s creative personality in the history of jazz art
Authors: Stetsiuk Roman 
Published: February 2025

Statement of the problem. One of the leading figures influencing the historical development of jazz is John Coltrane (1926–1967). His work embodies not only various styles and directions that emerged within jazz but also transcends the genre into the realm of academic music. From this perspective, Coltrane’s personality presents a significant subject for study, that determines the relevance of the proposed topic. One of the most comprehensive studies on Coltrane’s work is L. Porter’s book (1997). Among recent studies on Coltrane’s musical legacy are the scholarly works by R. Concei&#231;&#227;o (2022) and A. Pimenta (2023). The former analyzes Coltrane’s music through the lens of Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy, while the latter focuses on one of Coltrane’s central albums, “A Love Supreme”. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of this article is to trace the historical stages of jazz development and define the place and significance of John Coltrane’s creative output in the evolution of the jazz style. The novelty of this research lies in the perspective that it offers for Coltrane’s work, identifying not only the influences on his music, but also his role in shaping historical processes within 20th -century music. The comprehensive research approach incorporates various methods: historical, structural and functional, genre and style analysis, deductive reasoning, and comparison. Research results and conclusion. Jazz developed from the synthesis of AfroAmerican, Latin American, and Anglo-Celtic folk traditions integrated within the American cultural context. This process occurred through oral musical forms, such as blues and ragtime. Key jazz styles include New Orleans jazz, swing, bebop, and hard bop, which were evolved by both negating and revitalizing previous forms at new stages of development. In post-bop, represented by John Coltrane, jazz’s ability to transform and “blend” different genres is apparent, leading to new forms of expression and technical innovations. One of Coltrane’s defining traits is his originality, setting him apart from other jazz musicians. His music was not merely influenced by previous generations but was the result of deep inner growth, imparting his work with a unique character. Coltrane actively explored musical traditions from other cultures, including India, Africa, and Latin America that influenced him: so, he uses of drone sounds, exotic scales, and improvisational techniques reminiscent, in particular, of Indian music. This approach reflected his pursuit of a “universalism in world music”. Coltrane also took an interest in atonal music and serialism, particularly А. Schoenberg’s methods. He applied twelve-tone techniques in his improvisations, where the emphasis lay more on intuition during performance than on strict adherence to technique. Coltrane’s work had an enormous impact on the development of jazz, rock, and fusion, especially in the 1970s. His music became a source of inspiration for generations of performers and contributed significantly to the formation of minimalism.