The status of jazz in the United States continues to rise into cultural heritage territory. After the person and the work, it is now the space in which Coltrane composed that is being commemorated.
Coltrane is an immortal name in the jazz world. John and his wife Alice, who was one of the few harpists in the jazz scene, made an indelible mark on musical history which will always provide moments of inspiration and beauty.
But, each artistic endeavor needs a setting and the home they shared between 1964 and 1967 has been recognised to be a national treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Much of John’s 1965 masterpiece A Love Supreme was composed on the second floor and the basement acted as a makeshift studio for Alice’s 1968 solo album A monastic Trio.
Surprisingly, the building was up for demolition in 2002, but by 2003, it had been acquired by the association The Friends of John Coltrane. Now, a full scale renovation will be carried out, aiming to rid the place of mold and damp. This historic building, that played host to so many special musical creations, will be restored to a condition where it can be enjoyed by future visitors.
At the helm of the project, Stephanie Meeks aims for the building to become a “tangible link to an extremely creative and transformative period in the personal lives of two acclaimed and talented musicians.” It will be geared towards music education, an opportunity to honor “the Coltrane’s values of innovation, creativity, hard word, and self-empowerment.”
Watch John Coltrane Quartet in Belgium (1965) on Qwest TV.
