Miles Davis and John Coltrane are considered to be two of the greatest and most influential jazz musicians of all time. From the years they were together (1955-1961), Davis and Coltrane produced fifteen albums. Their most significant and prosperous album was Kind of Blue. This album, as well as their other collaborations, seemed to reveal a duo that encapsulated what jazz music was about and embodied its essence. While together, Miles Davis and John Coltrane influenced each other, impacted jazz music with 1959's Kind of Blue, and music as a whole.
When John Coltrane entered Miles Davis' band in late 1955, Davis was reluctant to let him join saying, "we didn't get along at first because Trane liked to ask all these mother f---ing questions back then about what we should or shouldn't play."" Afterwards Davis was overjoyed at how well Coltrane could play and was happy about his joining the band. Coltrane's style was like no other, "Trane was the loudest, fastest saxophone player I've ever heard. He could play real fast and real loud at the same time and that's very difficult to do."" (Davis 222). Coltrane's attitude can be stated in one word, dedication. Davis was in awe of Coltrane's approach towards his music, "He was always practicin', after shows we'd just go hang out or look for a few ladies but not Trane."" (Miles). Coltrane himself simply said: .
My goal in life is to live a truly religious life, and express is in my music. If you live it, when you play there's no problem because the music is part of the whole thing. To be a musician is really something. It goes very, very deep. My music is the spiritual expression of what I am-my faith, my knowledge, my being. (Coltrane). .
Despite his religious convictions drugs were a major power over Coltrane "he would start "nodding out- on stage due to all the heroin he was doing before shows. Davis punched him in his stomach one time before a show and told him to stop the drugs.