Friday, September 23, 2011

Happy 85th Trane

Eighty-five years after his birth, and sadly, 44 years since his untimely death, John Coltrane stands as a towering figure in the history of Western music.

Nice to see him getting such a high profile around social media today, but remember to celebrate and recognize all of his work, not just the (relatively) easy stuff. The man was as much "Kulu Se Mama" and "Om" as "Giant Steps" and "My Favorite Things."

From my personal perspective, I can't imagine my life without A Love Supreme. Hearing Trane for the first time changed me profoundly. How many musicians can you say that about?

2 comments:

Michael J. West said...

Do the Moody Blues count? My first encounter with them was literally the most important and defining moment in my life.

My entree to jazz, though, which I guess was a pretty profound moment for me too? John Coltrane. "My Favorite Things." I was 15 and remember it as electrically as I do my first kiss.

James Hale said...

Hah, the Moody Blues definitely count. Not a personal favourite, but our local postmistress grew up a block from some of the guys in the band and still follows their every move. They were just in town the other night, and she had (naturally) front row seats.