John Coltrane was an American saxophonist and composer who became one of the major figures of modern jazz. After performing notably with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, he developed an increasingly personal language blending hard bop, modal jazz, avant-garde and spiritual exploration, with intensely expressive playing and a deeply innovative harmonic approach. With albums such as Giant Steps, My Favorite Things and A Love Supreme, John Coltrane profoundly transformed saxophone playing and the evolution of twentieth-century jazz.