5 Ways Spiritual Jazz Links Pharoah Sanders to John Coltrane

Spiritual jazz emphasizes transcendent, meditative playing. Sanders’ work directly extends Coltrane’s late-period innovations in this style.

Both musicians used their instruments to explore the divine. Sanders’ sound is a direct continuation of Coltrane’s spiritual quest.

Free-form improvisation is central to both artists. Sanders pushed Coltrane’s exploratory approach even further.

Repetitive, hypnotic patterns define the genre. Sanders mastered the trance-like structures Coltrane pioneered.

The movement rejects commercial constraints for emotional depth. Sanders’ music, like Coltrane’s, prioritizes spiritual expression over accessibility.