What John Coltrane's saxophones tell us about his style and legacy

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published June 17, 2026 at 11:59 AM EDT

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John Coltrane's saxophone. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History,
Gift of Jowcol Music LLC) — John Coltrane's saxophone. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Gift of Jowcol Music LLC)

Few musicians have changed American music quite like John Coltrane did.

Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan talks with Smithsonian Institution curator Krystal Klingenberg about his legacy and improvisational style through the lens of one of his saxophones.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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What John Coltrane's saxophones tell us about his style and legacy

Support quality journalism, like the story above, with your gift right now.

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.