John Coltrane, who helped make modern jazz popular, was born in North Carolina in 1926. He was raised in the small farm town of High Point. Both of his grandparents were clergymen(牧师) . As a young boy, he spent a great deal of time listening to the music of the black Southern church. Coltrane’s father sewed colthes. He played several musical instruments for his own enjoyment.They young Coltrane grew up in such a musical environment that he discovered jazz by listening to the recordings of such jazz musicians as Count Basie and Lester Young.
At 21, Coltrane joined the jazz group of a trumpet player, Miles Davis. There, Coltrane began experimenting with new ways to write and perform jazz music. He explored many new ways of playing the saxophone (萨克斯). Some people did mot like this new sound. They did not understand it . Others said it was an expression of moderm soul. They said it represented an important change. But jazz performers, composers and other musicians welcomed this change. In 1957,John Coltrane recorded the first album Giant Steps. Three years later, Coltrane organized his own jazz group which became famous around the world soon.
By 1965, Coltrane was one of the most famous jazz musicians in the world. He was famous in Europe and Japan, as well as in the United States. He was alwys trying to produce a sound that no one had jproduced before. Some of the sounds he made were beautiful. Others were like loud screams. Critics(评论家) said that Coltrane was the loudest, fastest saxophone player that had ever lived. Many people could not understand his music simpler to become more popular.

推动了爵士乐的流行的约翰科特兰(John Coltrane)1926年出生于北卡罗莱纳州。他出生在高点（High Point）镇的小农场里。祖父母都是牧师。小时候，他花了大量时间聆听南部黑人教堂的音乐。科特兰的父亲是个裁缝，可以演奏多种乐器自娱自乐。生活在这样的音乐环境里的小科特兰听着Count Basie和Lester Young这样的爵士乐家渐渐喜欢上了爵士乐。
科特兰21岁参加了小号爵士乐队Miles Davis。此后，科特兰开始尝试用新的方法写作和表演爵士音乐。他展现了很多新的萨克斯演奏方式。一些人并不喜欢也不理解这种新音乐，而另一些人认为这种音乐表现了现代的灵魂，体现了一种重要改变。但是爵士乐表演者、作曲者和其他音乐人喜欢这种改变。1957年约翰科特兰录制了第一张专辑伟大的步伐（Giant Steps）。三年后，他组织起自己的爵士乐队并且很快享誉全球。
到1965年，科特兰已经成为了世界闻名的爵士乐家。即使在欧洲和日本，他也像在美国一样有名。他常常创作出前无古人的作品。他的很多作品都很美妙，另一些则像是嘶声呐喊。评论家认为科特兰是至今为止最大声，最快的萨克斯演奏家。很多人都认为他的音乐是最流行的。