Saxophonist John Coltrane composed “Naima” for his first wife, Juanita Austin, whose nickname was Naima or Nita. They were married in 1955, and, according to Lewis Porter in John Coltrane: His Life and Music, Coltrane also composed “Wise One” for her and “Syeeda’s Flute Song” for her daughter. Porter also claims that the hymnlike “Naima,” which stayed in his repertoire even after the couple broke up, was considered by Coltrane to be his best composition.

“Naima” was first recorded in May 1959 for Coltrane’s groundbreaking Giant Steps album on the Atlantic label with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums; however, the session wasn’t released until early 1960.

In The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958 John Litweiler says, “The dogged simplicity that usually rushed in violent symmetrical lines now appears in spare form in the long-toned theme of ‘Naima’ as the purest of lyricism; embellishment, activity would violate this precious fragility. His tone is soft, and the setting is as simple as possible, over a one-note bass pedal; the melody of ‘Naima’--quiet, sunfilled--is worthy of Coltrane’s reverence, the unsuspected calm in the midst of his storms....”

During a four night engagement at the Village Vanguard in 1961, Coltrane recorded several versions of “Naima” with a band that included Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Litweiler says, “Much of the simple beauty of the original ‘Naima’ was retained in the several 1961 Coltrane-Dolphy versions, but in 1966 Coltrane consciously destroys the song with dissipated floridity and downward plunges. In fact, much of Coltrane’s music in this new free territory sounds anything but free; rather, he dissolves into furious symmetries, wildly, randomly, perhaps vindictively.” The recording, released as Live at the Village Vanguard Again!, featured Pharoah Sanders on tenor sax, Alice Coltrane (John’s second wife) on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Rashied Ali on drums, and Emmanual Rahid on percussion.

“Naima” was recorded in 2002 by pianists Herbie Hancock and Marc Copland and earlier by McCoy Tyner (who recorded it several times) and by Richie Beirach and Walter Norris. It has also been featured on albums by trumpeter Chet Baker, saxophonists Eric Alexander and David Murray, guitarists Kenny Burrell, Ron Eschete, and Larry Coryell, organist Joey DeFrancesco, vibist Cal Tjader, electric bassist Jaco Pastorius, and harmonica player Hendrik Meurkens. Vocalists Jon Hendricks and Mark Murphy both recorded it with their own lyrics in 1975, and Karrin Allyson released a wordless vocal version in 2001.