The lasting mystery of John Coltrane

I don’t remember the first time I heard any of Coltrane’s music, but I just have this odd feeling that it’s something that’s always been there and maybe that adds a little bit more mysticism to my relationship with his music.

Every time I hear it, his unmistakable playing, that is the first thing that springs to mind; the mystery, the way the music pulls you in with hooks in each ear, the way it boggles the mind with its audacity as if to suggest he might be hiding some special power…How is he playing like this? How long is he going to solo for? Where is this music taking me?? Even the photos that captured his thoughtful poses on his album covers leave you wondering what the guy is thinking about.

Beyond those photos there are only a few audio interview recordings (which don’t reveal too much, other than that Coltrane is not a man of many words) and a handful of filmed live performances. Which I think is great because with no answers laid out for you, all questions lead back to the music, where I find that there’s so much too ask, so much music to listen to over and over with so many lessons and answers to discover for myself.

As a human being, I find him inspiring because what mattered most was creativity and being able to play his instrument. Whether it was a severe heroin addiction keeping him down, being fired by Miles Davis from his group or having to fill the requirements of a record label - he never let these things stop him from pushing his craft forward.

He beat his addiction and formed a new quartet, he practiced daily and always made sure to warm-up for an hour, or more, before getting on stage, the same way a boxer might go into the ring already sweating. He even traveled across town in between his own jazz club sets to play and improvise with up and coming ‘free jazz’ musicians like Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and Albert Ayler.

But the greatest thing that John Coltrane taught me wasn’t just to find dedication and passion for your art, but that finding freedom, liberation in your art is the most essential thing.

After years of his mastering the ballads and even coining his own jazz standards, he let it all go in search of something much deeper and really began to integrate free improvisation with a personal spiritual hunt into his output, combining the essence of everything he had learnt musically and philosophically into his playing style.

This led me to understand that maybe there is a higher level of consciousness that can be reached through music or art and that it’s not something to be afraid of looking for. This search is something that I carry into every creative endeavor and is the main reason Formation came into being, after we accidentally wrote some pop songs while working on an improvised music project…so you can thank Coltrane for that.