OMG.... All Trane all the time!!!!

Well, I guess I am a bit behind the curve. I just discovered OnLine Radio. ITunes has an awesome one, and I just hooked up with the free AOL version. And... get this... it has an all John Coltrane channel. Along with 20th Century 'Classical' avant garde... John Coltrane all the time!! I used to have the complete Coltrane discography back in 85, but haven't kept up with re-releases and such. I have all the Impulse recordings. Those that are my favorites I have unopened vinyl copies of - as well as CD's. Coltrane was the most important musician of the 20th century, in my mind.

In '66 a friend brought over some records his uncle had given to him and we were gonna shoot them with our pellet guns (don't ask). He was the bass player in our garage rock band. Before we went out to destroy them, I grabbed one and put it on my turntable. What came out of the speakers made my buddy grab his head and laugh hysterically. It was Ornette Coleman and his amazing plastic saxophone. I listened. He laughed. I put on another record...Coltrane's "Naima." I couldn't stop listening. He got bored and left. To say that moment changed my life would be an understatement. I can remember that moment as well as I do any of the life-changing moments we all share.

Needless to say, we didn't destroy the albums. I still have them. The following week found me at the record store spending my band money on John Coltrane records. Every one I could find. Then Miles, Coleman, Lloyd, Jarrett... My friends thought I was nuts, my girlfriend disowned me (musically) and I got into a hot jazz quartet. That was followed by me talking my way into being a music major although I could barely read music... that's another story. That is where I discovered modern and contemporary music. To me, the music of Copleland and Ives and Trane and Miles are one continuum of music. Improvisation, tonal / atonal challenges on players and listeners... resolution. It's all there.

Stravinsky, Carter, Boulez, Copeland, Barber and Ives were incredibly important inspirations for me, but Coltrane gave fire to improvisation and spirituality. I love his music more than can be explained in words, so I'll just sit back and listen to 'Kulu Se Mama', 'Blue Trane', and 'Afro Blue' for now.