3 Things to Know About the Recording of Coltrane’s “Naima”

“Naima” was recorded with Miles Davis’s rhythm section, not Coltrane’s usual band. The track used Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums.

The rest of Giant Steps was cut seven months earlier with Tommy Flanagan’s trio. Most of the album was recorded in May 1959, but “Naima” was recorded in December 1959.

This change in personnel gave “Naima” a noticeably different feel. The rhythm section’s lighter, more swinging touch contrasts with the hard-driving sound of the rest of the album.