Giant Steps

John Coltrane's 1960 album Giant Steps captures his move beyond hard bop into a modern post-bop and modal idiom, centered on the title composition's rapid harmonic cycle that came to be known as Coltrane changes. The record pairs technically demanding, high-speed improvisation with more lyrical material such as Naima, balancing dense chordal movement and moments of modal spaciousness. Its combination of harmonic experimentation and virtuosic ensemble playing marks a pivotal moment in Coltrane's artistic development and in the evolution of jazz harmony.