"Giant Steps" is a jazz composition by the American saxophonist John Coltrane, who is its sole credited composer. It is instrumental, with no lyricist. Coltrane recorded it in May 1959 at Atlantic Studios in New York, under producer Nesuhi Ertegun, during his first sessions for Atlantic. The original recording features Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Paul Chambers on bass, Tommy Flanagan on piano and Art Taylor on drums. It was released on the 1960 album Giant Steps, where it serves as the title track. Coltrane named the piece after its bass line, which moves in minor thirds and fourths. Harmonically, it uses alternating modulations of major third and minor sixth intervals through B major, G major and E-flat major, with ii-V-I substitutions; this chord cycle is known as Coltrane changes. The tune is usually played fast, in swing style, and is classed as hard bop. It is a jazz standard, and critics have praised it; Vox called it "the most feared song in jazz". The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. Later versions include recordings by Archie Shepp and Max Roach, Joey Alexander (Grammy-nominated), Paquito D'Rivera and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.
