I cued up Pharaoh Sanders and Kenny Garrett's duet and listening to Pharaoh I could hear John Coltrane's influence all through it. In fact when I listen to Kenny Garrett he is just like a mini trane on alto and that's just beautiful.
John Coltrane was always practicing, pushing the boundaries and searching. Listen to Alabama and instantly you are teleported there. Oak, Walnut and Magnolia trees, locusts buzzing in the summer heat, long walks on red clay roads. At night I can only imagine what it must have been like to deal with some small minded, small town sheriff, a white citizen council and an active Klan.
Then, you listen to A Love Supreme and it proves that music is spiritual! It enables transcendence! It takes you to that special place that only music can take you.
But, unless you listened to After the Rain at night while it's raining and hold a beautiful woman or be held by a strong, loving dude for you ladies, then you just don't know love songs! Ya just don't!
Happy Birthday John! Om Pad me Om! John! Praise the Lord, Hallelujah John! Thank you for blessing us with your talent!
A Love Supreme!
Mista Jaycee
8 comments:
my female friend once tried to turn me onto Coltrane. she is an avid listener. she explained his musical gift so thoroughly that i felt like i was missing something. sadly i was never able to develop a true appreciation for his music.
hopefully one day i will.
Start with Central Park West and My Favorite Things
LOL
Jaycee
Hey Don,
You had a cooool woman there!
Jaycee
After reading your post I went to YouTube to check out some of his music. I am like Don I never was able to connect with his music.
I am not per-say a Jazz fan but I am getting into Gospel Jazz. Jaycee have you heard of Gospel Jazz is it something new or has it been around for a while or, I am just getting exposed to it?
One thing about music, when it hit you feel no pain. This is especially true of Coltrane.
Yes, I have heard of the genre. To me there is no such thing as Gospel jazz because, jazz musicians have always been spiritual and religious. Duke Ellington wrote religious music in the jazz idiom. Coltrane, while he added Dear Lord to the pantheon. Kirk Whalum who is an ordained minister is a jazz musician and has long ministered while playing. Thomas Dorsey, the father of gospel music wrote Precious Lord in a bar. He too a Jazz musician. I have a problem with the separation of it because does one become a gospel plumber or course not but you witness of the Lord doing what you do.
I would say check out Ben Tankard, Roland Gresham and Take 6 first.
Then hit up Kim Burrell and Twinkie Clark. Then Thomas Whitfield who although he played gospel I would classify him as a jazz/RB musician. Then hit up Ricky Grundy.
Jaycee
I am a fan of Kirk Whalum (Falling In Love With Jesus is the best thing that has happen to me)I love his music and I have heard of Ben Tankard but not his music.
So, were did Gospel Jazz come from if it's not such a thing as that?
It is a marketing tool. There is just music. The Gospel like all ideas is just an idea. Musically, there doesn't need to be a difference shown but here's a few things.
1. Just because it is instrumental does not make it jazz hence Kenny G, is not a jazz musician.
Jazz music has a musical connection to the blues then to church and classical music.
Charles Mingus added church elements in his composition Better Git it in your soul! screaming Oh, Lawd! at different times. He wanted that church element that he remembered.
The Gospel is preaching the message of Christ, Praising the Lord and Edifying the people. Musically, that could include most anything with exception to things that clearly are not Holy. IE certain types of language, and places where maybe a believer shouldn't be.
In short I think it's just a tool to sell music to a segment that enjoys jazz, blues and instrumental music but is conflicted with how they fit within the church.
Jaycee
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