Equinox and Bassist Steve Davis (108)

Standards Rating 7, Difficulty Rating 3

“Equinox” is a brooding minor-blues jazz standard composed by John Coltrane, first recorded in 1960 and released on Coltrane’s Sound in 1964. Built on a slow, hypnotic 12-bar minor blues groove, the piece stands out in Coltrane’s oeuvre for its earthy spiritual depth, reflecting his deep connection to the blues tradition more than virtuosic bebop complexity. Its stark, modal theme unfolds over repeated figures that create a ritualistic atmosphere, with Coltrane’s tenor tone both contemplative and powerful. The original quartet—Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis, and Elvin Jones—crafted a soundscape that balances space and intensity.

Steve Davis, the quartet’s bassist on Equinox, anchored the performance with a grounded sense of time and tone, locking seamlessly with Jones to sustain the groove’s trance-like sway. A respected sideman, Davis’s work with Coltrane in the early 1960s helped shape the saxophonist’s modal direction and remains a testament to his subtle but essential artistry.

John Coltrane

Kenny Garrett

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