Arguably the most important and influential jazz saxophonist in the post-bop era, John Coltrane evolved his playing from bop through to the edgy and slight pop touches of his Atlantic Records sides in the early '60s, and then on to the intense, exploratory visions of his later '60s work on Impulse! Records. This two-disc set plugs in right as Coltrane's Atlantic years are beginning, and also features key tracks from Coltrane's earlier stays at Prestige and Blue Note Records. Things got bigger and better, but this is still pretty powerful stuff.