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John Coltrane  Bill
ColeDa Capo, 1993 (first published in 1976) Paperback. 280pp. b&w and musical illustrations £13.99 Bill Cole focuses on two aspects of John Coltrane in this provocative study: Coltrane the musician and Coltrane the religious person. Deeply interrelated, both aspects are bound up with Coltrane's identification as an African American. Coltrane accepted the traditional African belief in the magical powers of sound, and connected his music to its Afircan roots via a devout religiosity. Cole shows how Coltrane's influences extended from tribal tone languages to speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr. - he even adapted King's rhythmic inflections into a saxophone solo. One of three Coltrane biographies written in the1970s, this is the only one to offer a lengthy musical analysis of his career; it also includes a detailed discography with recording data and personnel, and over two dozen photographs. Cole draws on quotes from Coltrane himself, transcriptions of his improvisation, analysis of his music, research into West African religion, and his own personal reminiscences of the man, to offer a stimulating perspective of Coltrane's music, life and thought. BILL COLE is professor emeritus of music at Dartmouth College, and the author of Miles Davis: A Musical Biography. |
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© Jazzscript 2002 Wendover Bookshop, 35 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, United Kingdom HP22 6DU tel / fax: +44 (0)1296 696204 | email |
John
Coltrane (1926-1967) was one of the most innovative forces in African
American music. By experimenting with new concepts of time, integrating
Eastern philosophies into Western music, and exploring multiphonics and
other sounds on his saxophone, he opened avenues of expression that influenced
musicians and composers from jazz to rock to avant-garde.