He came from a family of black preachers and his saxophone sound emulates a preacher who is feeling the Holy Spirit,especially in his later recording. In every period of his career he had a high keening sound on tenor saxophone. By the early 60's, he had mastered ways of producing multiphonics (notes that sounded two or three notes at once). He was able to bend his notes to find blue sounds at any instant in his lines. He could change his range so quickly that he could honk a low note and scream high in just an eyeblink.