The legendary saxophonist John Coltrane made a lasting impression in North American jazz music by pioneering a new subgenre known as “modal jazz.” By examining Coltrane’s personal life, professional career, evolving style of music, and his legacy that endures to this day, one can better understand the importance of this individual’s contribution to American culture and reflect upon his creative genius.
On September 23, 1926, John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina, to a family of ministers and church musicians. Born on the autumn equinox, many of his later recordings would take on titles that reference astrology, such as “Equinox” (1960) and Sun Ship (1965). When Coltrane was only a few months old, his family moved to High Point, North Carolina, where he attended William Penn High School, which was founded by Quakers on the site of what used to be a slave market. Influenced by his grandfather, the Rev. Blair, who was known throughout North Carolina as a champion of African-American rights, his father, who played the ukulele, violin, and sang, and his mother, a church pianist, Coltrane was exposed to influences that nurtured musical talent and a strong will power (Cole 25). His familial background undoubtedly contributed to his ability not only to master the instruments he played, but also to be brazen enough to one day revolutionize the world of jazz. In addition, major childhood events, some of which traumatic would have lasting effects on Coltrane’s musical development.
Coltrane received his first musical instrument, the clarinet, when he was 12 years old, and soon started playing in the high school band. Even though he became proficient at the clarinet within a year, even becoming the first clarinet of the loc...
... middle of paper ...
...he creation of modal jazz, as it allowed him to fully express his devotion to God, without being bound by European-influenced harmonics and music where chord structures and rhythmic meter dictate all. Because of Coltrane, melody regained its importance above all else in jazz.
Works Cited
Cole, Bill. John Coltrane. New York: Schirmer, 1976. Print.
Hester, Karlton E. The Melodic and Polyrhythmic Development of John Coltrane's Spontaneous Composition in a Racist Society. Vol. 54. Lewiston: E. Mellen, 1997. Print. Studies in History & Interpretation of Music.
Kahn, Ashley. A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album. New York: Viking, 2002. Print.
Nisenson, Eric. Ascension: John Coltrane and His Quest. New York: St. Martin's, 1993. Print.
Thomas, J. C. Chasin' the Trane: The Music and Mystique of John Coltrane. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1975. Print.
John Coltrane was a jazz saxophonist from 1955 to 1967. He was born in Hamlet, North Carolina on September 23, 1926. A few years later he moved to Highpoint, North Carolina.(D) As a child he was surrounded by a musical family. When he turned thirteen he started to play the alto saxophone. 1939 was a life changing year for Coltrane because his father, uncle, and grandparents died.(C) In the middle of that same year he graduated from grammar school.(D) Sadly when his family started to split and go to different states Coltrane moved to Philadelphia in 1943.(C)
John William Coltrane, also known as "Trane", was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He worked in the bebop and hard bop stylles early in his career. Coltrane helped to introduce the use of modes in jazz and was later at the forefront of free jazz.
Howard, John Tasker. Our American Music. 1946. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1954. 666. Print.
Recognized as one of the greatest all time jazz figures Duke Ellington, whose career reached over a span of fifty years was mostly known for composing thousands of influential songs. As well as constituting into jazz an ensemble of western sounds which was referred to as “American Music”. This iconic figure has left a mark in the world of jazz for centuries to come.
Exploring world influences on music has shaped the way people today perceive and interpret sound and music. To more deeply understand how influences came to be, pinpointing exactly who had the biggest impacts can help people everywhere feel more connected to the upcoming of many important musical genres. As many genres have shaped everyday lives of humans, one genre in particular created an amazing musical revolution, jazz. A contributor, John Coltrane, influenced a major innovation in the jazz genre and upbringing. It is thanks to him along with many others, that jazz has become one of the most influential genres that connects people from every culture.
Teachout, Terry. "John Hammond's jazz." Commentary 122.3 (2006): 55+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
Jazz music prospered in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Jazz was created by African Americans to represent pain and suffering and also represented the adversity that racial tension brought. (Scholastic) African American performers like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker came to be recognized for their ability to overcome “race relati...
In this investigation, I will attempt to compare two of the most famous and influential Jazz artists of all time, Louis Armstrong, and Etta James’ personal lives with regards to finding music, their stylistic similarities and I will also compare four of their most famous tracks. In the case of Armstrong, this track is ‘What a wonderful world’, and ‘We have all the time in the world’ and for Etta James I will analyse and compare ‘At Last’, and ‘I’ve been loving you too long’.
Jazz is referred as “America’s classical music,” and is one of North America’s and most celebrated genres. The history of Jazz can be traced back to the early era of the 20th century of the U.S. “A History of Jazz” presents From Ragtime and Blues to Big Band and Bebop, jazz has been a part of a proud African American tradition for over 100 years. A strong rhythmic under-structure, blue notes, solos, “call-and response” patterns, and
Through his contribution to early Jazz, he had a direct hand in developing the new field of academic jazz scholarship, although it had been extensively debated on his contribution. None the less, his talent formed a popularity that was surpassed by none, even to the point that once in his career; he was more popular than the Beatles. Undoubtedly, he was the first, if not the only to present Jazz to the public as a form of art. This changed the direction of Jazz to not just leisure listening music, but a teachable and complicated
By the end of World War I, Black Americans were facing their lowest point in history since slavery. Most of the blacks migrated to the northern states such as New York and Chicago. It was in New York where the “Harlem Renaissance” was born. This movement with jazz was used to rid of the restraints held against African Americans. One of the main reasons that jazz was so popular was that it allowed the performer to create the rhythm. With This in Mind performers realized that there could no...
When it comes to jazz music, there is one name that everyone knows, whether they’ve never listened to jazz before or if they’ve listened to it their whole lives. That name is Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was one of the pioneers of jazz music, from his humble beginnings in one of New Orleans roughest districts, “the Battlefield”, to playing concerts for sold out crowds in Chicago and New York City, Louis left a massive impact on the way America listened to music for a long time. One of his premier tracks, “West End Blues”, left an impact on jazz music, which other musicians would try to emulate for years.
Throughout history, and even today, music has shaped America’s culture, society, and even politics. One of the most outstanding and enduring musical movement has been from African American artists, ranging from bebop to jazz to hip-hop to rap. During the 1920’s , jazz artists stepped into the limelight and began their impact on American and even world history. Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential leaders during the Harlem Renaissance and his jazz legacy and impact of American history is everlasting. A master of his craft, Armstrong and his music heavily influenced America’s white and black populations from the 1920’s and up until his death.
Not only is it nearly impossible to pinpoint jazz’s conception in time, many locations are accredited with its origin, the United States allowed for jazz to start gaining popularity and leading into the change it had to the music scene. When jazz is brought up, many first think of its birth place being New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans has always been a big musi...
The music of jazz became an important aspect of American culture in the early 20th century. The crisp syncopation of ragtime and the smooth tunes of the blues seeped into American mainstream music through dance halls and saloons and later through ballrooms. Instruments like the piano, trumpet, trombone and clarinet became important and symbolized the “swing-feel” of jazz because of their capability to syncopate and improvise precisely. With the help of the booming recording industry, musical geniuses were discovered and their talent and contributions to the emergence of jazz spread throughout the entire country. Such musicians include composer, arranger and pianist Jelly Roll Morton who heavily influenced the development of early jazz by his unique piano style, his “invention” of musical notation for jazz, and his compositions that have become the core in the jazz repertory. Because the style was new and different and so successful in drawing in large audiences, musicians around the world tried to mimic it. Furthermore, Morton’s masterpieces were the first to show notation for complicated jazz music and thus, formed the basis for standard notation in jazz compositions today.