September 26 [12:00 EDT] -- The late great jazz saxophonist John Coltrane would have turned 71 years-old on Tuesday, and to mark the occasion, Impulse Records has just put out a four-disc set of Coltrane's historic 1961 live recordings at New York's Village Vanguard club.

The set stands as a good example of what's turned musicians like Henry Rollins and Helmet's Page Hamilton among others into latter-day Coltrane fans.

Another Coltrane fan, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, once enthused to MTV's Kennedy, "Jazz is what it's all about. I suggest people stop watching MTV and start buy start buying old Blue Note records. Start listening to John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, guys that really had something to say, emotions to express... That's what it's all about."

• John Coltrane
• Red Hot Chili Peppers