[Dixielandjazz] Coltrane on alto (was Transcribing Solos)

[Bill Haesler]

> Did Trane originally do a lot of recording on alto until he went to
Tenor? (Pre Miles Davis Quintet)

Dear Mike,
I am certainly out of my depth here musically and can't even recall whether
there are any records featuring John Coltrane in my extensive collection.
Not because I don't like him. It's simply because I don't care for and know
nothing about 'modern' jazz or its exponents.
However, the inquisitive researcher in me forced me to check out your query.
The following is a short summary from a Barry Kernfield piece on Coltrane
(1926-67):
 John Coltrane leant to play Eb alto horn, clarinet and, from about age 15,
alto sax. After serving with the Navy band in Hawaii (1945-46) he played
alto sax with bands led by Joe Webb and King Colax, then changed to tenor
sax to work with Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson. He performed on both instruments,
as required, while in groups led by Jimmy Heath, Howard McGee, Dizzy
Gillespie (with whom he made his first recording in Nov 1949 - on alto),
Earl Bostic and lesser others. By the time he joined Johnny Hodges Septet in
1953-54 he was a tenor man and continued to use this instrument exclusively
(and soprano sax) after he joined the Miles Davis quintet in 1955.
My discographies show that there are very few recordings featuring Trane's
alto sax work. 
Kind regards,
Bill.