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He secretly recorded John Coltrane 60 years ago. Now, the tapes are out

It’s been 100 years since John Coltrane was born. (Courtesy of CEA/Cache Agency)
Courtesy of CEA/Cache Agency
It’s been 100 years since John Coltrane was born. (Courtesy of CEA/Cache Agency)

From 1960 to 1964, Frank Tiberi, a saxophonist and professor of music at Berklee College of Music, followed John Coltrane around clubs in Philadelphia and New York.

Tiberi recorded Coltrane’s wildly improvisational sets, capturing rare live recordings of some of his most popular songs, like “Giant Steps.” In celebration of 100 years of Coltrane, the tapes are now available for the public to hear.

Here & Now‘s Jessica Kariisa reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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