Hi Guitarhacker,
Good point about the inclusion of
Giant Steps as a countervailing example. I don't think anyone will dispute that John Coltrane's composition has come to occupy a central place in modern Jazz education. Students are supposed to learn to solo on it in all 12 keys.
In one famous story, the great pianist Tommy Flanagan was caught completely off guard by this tune, paralyzed by the changes flying by at such speed. But in the end, it is mostly just "2-5" music (the IIm7, V7 subprogression) with too many 2-5's.
I may be risking bringing howls of derision upon me, but I never saw the attraction of
Giant Steps as something more than a vehicle for student exercise. I included it to show how extreme chord progressions can be, say, compared to the elegant changes of
Close Your Eyes.
Of course, this has no bearing on the awe I have for Trane. But, he's not my favorite tenor, that would be the late Booker Ervin. Especially with my favorite B3 player of that time, Don Patterson.
You gotta here this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHVW_tx6JJM recorded in 1964.
Dean