A Saxophonist's Spiritual Revelation

John Coltrane stands out as one of the giants of 20th-century jazz. His legacy is a generation of hearts touched and the light of God shining through his songs. Yet, for years, his work was haunted by a need to prove himself through his performance. Music was his way of convincing himself that he was worthwhile, that he mattered. That changed after a pivotal moment that he describes in the liner notes to his album "A Love Supreme."

During the year 1957 I experienced by the grace of God a spiritual awakening which was to lead me to a richer, fuller, more…