angles , as he would do on “ Giant Steps ”. On being invited to join the bebop holy of holies , Dizzy Gillespie ’ s big band , Trane found himself limited to a reading role in the lead alto spot . Apart from a very Lester Young-style solo with singer Billy Valentine (“ Beer Drinking Baby ”), it was not until the autumn of 1950 and the scaling down of Dizzy ’ s orchestra to a sextet that Trane was eventually recorded on tenor , in which role he concocted a synthesis of Lester Young ’ s three great bop heirs : Sonny Stitt , Wardell Gray and Dexter Gordon .
While on tour with Dizzy , he borrowed from the band ’ s pianist the celebrated 19th century methods by Charles-Louis Hanon ( The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises ) and Carl Czerny ( The School of Velocity ). Back in Philadelphia , he took up lessons once more with Dennis Sandole and , in 1952 , returned to the anonymity of rhythm and blues bands , singing backing vocals and playing gigs , and on one particular evening his friend Benny Golson dropped by unannounced :
John Coltrane was up on the bar honking and grooving . He was cranked up , playing low B-flats , stepping over drinks like a mountain goat on slippery terrain . He didn ’ t see me right away . But when he came up from one of his low horn-swooping movements , he looked in my direction . His eyes got wide and he stopped right away . He took the horn out of his mouth , and said , ‘ Oh , no !’ I fell against the wall , dying with laughter . He was humiliated , but he finished his slumming bar performance .
According to a different version , Trane left the club on the spot . James Moody , who heard him around the same time with one of these jump bands , had a different recollection :
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