LOS ANGELES - Alice Coltrane, a jazz performer and composer and wife of the late saxophone legend John Coltrane, has died. She was 69.Coltrane died Friday of respiratory failure at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, said her sister, Marilyn McLeod. (AP Newswire)
I don't know why, but I'm feeling a little sad today. I found out yesterday that Trane's widow passed. I really don't know much about Alice Coltrane but apparently she was an incredible musician as well. Click here if you would like to read the article from Yahoo! News. Sadly, she was not a Christ follower, but embraced Hinduism.
Today I'd like to talk about John Coltrane, the jazz saxophonist who died in 1967. Trane, for a lot of us young sax players, was one of the many greats we listened to and looked up to. His style was "vertical" as he improvised across the chords as opposed to say a Cannonball Adderly who played very horizontally. This style is no more clearly seen than in the tune "Giant Steps." In fact, you can click here to see the transcribed solo, and then click here and select Giant Steps from the drop down menu and watch the solo literally fly by. Be prepared to scroll fast!
I have to say that my all time fave tune by Trane was "Lush Life"; it's almost spiritual for me. Running a close second would be "Moment's Notice." To this day I still feel like my greatest tenor sax influences has to be John Coltrane. Too bad he died in '67. I wonder what would have been.
Many Jazz greats died in their prime - some drugs and alcohol. John's fave horn was a Selmer Mark VI like the one I had - well, mine was a few years newer than his - a 1968 ish model. (There's a picture of it on Trane's website if you watch the entire slideshow.)I even used an Otto Link just like his. However, I gave this horn up to God when I gave my life to him. I wish I had it back. (Call me crazy, but I'm actually praying for one!)
I'm sad today. I wish I had my tenor back. (woe is me!) I wish I could have met Trane. Maybe I will someday in heaven? Tye out.
Many Jazz greats died in their prime - some drugs and alcohol. John's fave horn was a Selmer Mark VI like the one I had - well, mine was a few years newer than his - a 1968 ish model. (There's a picture of it on Trane's website if you watch the entire slideshow.)I even used an Otto Link just like his. However, I gave this horn up to God when I gave my life to him. I wish I had it back. (Call me crazy, but I'm actually praying for one!)
I'm sad today. I wish I had my tenor back. (woe is me!) I wish I could have met Trane. Maybe I will someday in heaven? Tye out.
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