I sometimes like to rewatch pieces from the Vox Earworm and Vox Borders video series. I especially liked this one on John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” from the Vox Earworm series, for which they won the Emmy for “Outstanding New Approaches: Arts, Lifestyle and Culture”:
John Coltrane, one of jazz history’s most revered saxophonists, released “Giant Steps” in 1959. It’s known across the jazz world as one of the most challenging compositions to improvise over for two reasons – it’s fast and it’s in three keys. Braxton Cook and Adam Neely give me a crash course in music theory to help me understand this notoriously difficult song, and I’m bringing you along for the ride. Even if you don’t understand a lick of music theory, you’ll likely walk away with an appreciation for this musical puzzle.