Cousin Mary is an instrumental jazz tune written by John Coltrane. It is the second track on Coltrane's 1960 Atlantic album Giant Steps, which was released in January or February 1960 and recorded on May 5, 1959. The piece is named in honor of Coltrane's younger cousin Mary Lyerly. The May 5 session features Coltrane on tenor sax with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Giant Steps is widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz albums of all time and helped popularize the Coltrane changes; Cousin Mary runs about 5 minutes and 45 seconds.
