ALICE COLTRANE / “Journey in Satchidananda”
Divine music is one of the highest mercies extended to us by God. It is as powerful as prayer itself. The potency of sacred music has in certain instances superceded the curative properties of medicine, mantra, and affirmations. This is due to the heart's principle of love, purity, and innate receptivity. Often, the mind that knows the use of recitation and affirmations, at times has found that little value results when it exhaustedly abandons the constant repetition.
Divine music is a curative virtue; it is a gift from God that brings healing and comfort to the soul. This music can uplift one's spirit up to a higher dimension of being that is filled with peace and joy. Divine music is the sound of true life, wisdom, and bliss. This music transcends geographical boundaries, language barriers, age factors; and whether educated or uneducated, it reaches deep into the heart and soul, sacred and holy, like an Infinite sound of glory entering the Lord's sanctuary.
—Turiyasangitananda
Turiyasangitananda
bka Alice Coltrane
(August 27, 1937 – January 12, 2007)
Asante sana. Thank you very much. For your music. Your spiritual life. The good and beauty you created. Asante sana.
***
Alice Lucille McLeod Coltrane was born in Detroit, Michigan to Solon and Anne McLeod. Her half-brother Ernie Farrow was a noted bass player who recorded with Yusef Lateef and Terry Gibbs. Alice began seriously studying piano at age seven and subsequently continued her music studies throughout high school and beyond. Her advanced studies included the music of Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Stravinsky and Tschaikovsky.
In the official biography on her website, Alice Coltrane notes “Classical music for me, was an extensive, technical study for many years. At that time, I discovered it to be a truly profound music with a highly intellectual ambiance. I will always appreciate it with a kind remembrance and great esteem.” Of the difference between classical music and jazz, the path she chose to take, Alice Coltrane said, "The classical artist must respectfully recreate the composer's meaning. Although, with jazz music, you are allowed to develop your own creativity, improvisation and expression. This greatly inspires me."
Alice studied at the Detroit Institute of Technology. In her early twenties she lived in Paris where she studied with pianist Bud Powell. While in Paris she was briefly married to singer Kenny “Pancho” Hagood and they had a daughter together, Michelle. She returned to Detroit and around 1962 moved to New York, where she met John Coltrane a year or so later. At that time she was the pianist in the Terry Gibbs band.
Alice and John Coltrane were married in 1965. They had three sons: John Jr., who died in a 1982 automobile accident; Ravi, who is a jazz saxophonist and recording artist, and Oran, who plays alto saxophone.
In 1966 Alice Coltrane became the regular pianist in John Coltrane’s band after the departure of McCoy Tyner. Alice would later appear as a harpist on Tyner’s album Expansions. In 1967 when Coltrane died, Alice took a vow of celibacy and began her solo career as a recording artist. After recording over ten albums for Impulse and Warner Bros records, Alice Coltrane withdrew from commercial recording and devoted herself to her spiritual work and to managing the musical legacy of John Coltrane.
In 1970 she studied under Swami Satchidananda and later under Sathya Sai Baba. She founded the Vedanta Center in San Francisco and later moved the ashram to Agoura Hills, outside of Los Angeles. For retired from the music industry for twenty-eight years but returned in 2004 with Translinear Light, a recording produced Ravi Coltrane. Sacred Language of Ascension, a new recording is forthcoming shortly.
Instead of being known mainly as John Coltrane's wife, if Alice Coltrane had been a man, she would have been celebrated as one of the true visionaries of 20th century music. As the widow of Trane, many of us assume some of Coltrane simply rubbed off on her and that her music was reductively a branch of the John Coltrane baobab. As a female, one of only a numerically small group of instrumentalists in jazz, her work is often overlooked or dismissed as spiritual "new age" noodling. Yet when her work is examined and compared to her contemporaries, the musical evidence demonstrates that the breadth of her work is phenomenal. I have chosen four tracks but could easily have chosen eight or twelve others of equal merit. She started as a Bud Powell/bebop disciple and then became Trane’s chosen helpmate in the last period of Coltrane’s recording career. The third incarnation of Alice Coltrane was as a solo recording artist. The fourth period was as a private spiritual musician. The fifth and final period was a return to jazz concerts and recordings.
The opening track is “Journey in Satchidananda,” a classic cut from a classic album. This is the album on which Alice Coltrane successfully manages to extend the John Coltrane musical legacy and simultaneously mark out her own directions. I choose this track specifically for the harp playing. The line up is Alice Coltrane on harp, Pharoah Sanders on sax, Cecil McBee on bass, Rashied Ali on drums, and Majid Shabazz on bells and tambourine.
“Turiya And Ramakrishna” is an example of Alice Coltrane's deep piano work. I love the way Alice plays piano. Love how she merges intelligence with emotion. How she acquired the ability to play “out” and simultaneously sound “in” (i.e. accessible). Her Detroit childhood church background is foregrounded in how she voices her chords. It is interesting to note that Alice does fascinating chord alterations on piano, while on organ she takes a more harp/Bud Powell-like approach with the rippling arpeggios. Notice also the dynamics of her touch, a soft note played next to a more percussive struck note, the tremolos in the block chords, the rubato flow of her improvisations. Her playing moves with the grace of a massive current assaying a fifty-degree bend in the river. This track is from another classic Alice Coltrane jazz combo album, Ptah, The El-Daoud. Alice's supporting bandmates are Pharoah Sanders and Joe Henderson on saxophones and flutes, Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums.
I fell out laughing when I first heard “Ghana Nila.” This is some negroidal music. It would take one of us to merge black church music with Hindu spiritual songs/chants. I bet both devote Christians and devote Hindus are probably a little taken aback by this unicorn of sound. Alice is on organ and electric piano (the organ/piano duo is a mainstay of black church instrumentation), lining out the song like an old-time choir master. Check the ending with the voices stretching out.
“Bliss: The Eternal Now” and “Bliss: The Eternal Now – Return” are actually remixes from Carlos Santana’s Divine Light: Reconstruction & Mix Translation: Bill Laswell, an album that combines and remixes selections from two Santana albums, Illumination, which featured Alice Coltrane, and a second album that featured English guitarist John “Mahavishnu” McLaughlin. I listen to this remix album more than anything else by Santana. This piece is a good example of Alice’s meditative sound. The “Eternal Now” version is awash with Alice’s string arrangements. Her use of strings is a major element in her sonic repertoire. Although I am appreciative of Alice’s string work, I am more attuned to the jazz combo sound, hence I prefer “Return.”
This is a slight musical introduction to the vast body of Alice Coltrane’s music.
For those interested in knowing more I recommend that you visit Alice Coltrane’s official website. Also check out Zoilus, this website offers links to Alice Coltrane write-ups on the web some of which include mp3 recordings. An important interview with Alice Coltrane is here. I want to publicly thank everyone on the web who has written about Alice Coltrane. It is important to share as much information and insights as is humanly possible.
—Kalamu ya Salaam
Completely surprised
We had some technical difficulties this week, which is why we were late going up, and also why I ended up writing my comments about these Alice Coltrane selections before I read Kalamu's write-up. I found it kind of funny that I ended up making two similar comments to those he made in his write-up. One, that Alice's music is much more varied than I would've expected, and two, that "Ghana Nila" is some funky-ass half-soul / half-Hare Krishna shit. You have to love that. Anyway, here are my comments.
* * *
"Journey In Satchidananda" is beautiful. I love the drone sound throughout. The layering of instruments creates a tapestry of textures that sound like a good massage feels. You can feel this music vibrating inside of you. The bassline is excellent as well: the way it interacts with the drone and drums and the chimes (whatever they are) is perfect. Great track.
"Turiya." Another very good track. The blues feel in Alice's playing is unexpected and very affecting. I say unexpected because I'd already gotten used to the kind of 'out' / Eastern / extemporaneous feel that she plays with on the other tracks. This one sounds like she could be playing in a blues club. Well, almost. I like it.
It's not often that I hear a known artist's music and am completely surprised by it. I've heard so much music—especially black American music—and I've read so much about music, that I always feel like I have at least a vague idea of what an established artist's music will sound like, even if I've never heard it. In this case, I'm completely taken aback. I wouldn't have been surprised by any one of these pieces, but I am very surprised by the breadth of them. By the variety. The piece I'm listening to now is "Ghana Nila." If it weren't for the Hare Krishna-sounding bells and the chant, I'd think it was a classic Soul Jazz record. The music is very loose and funky—it makes you want to clap and chant along with them. Just imagine if the bells were tambourines and the chant was something about hanging out in Detroit. Interesting.
—Mtume ya Salaam
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7 Responses to “ALICE COLTRANE / “Journey in Satchidananda””
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:08 am
I must admit that I wasn’t really “up” on Alice Coltrane’s body of work while she was alive. But part of the legacy of an artist is having your work continue to breathe life long after you have left this world. These songs that you have chosen to represent Ms. Coltrane are soothing and healing to the spirit. I will be sure to honor her legacy by listening to more Alice Coltrane in the future. I already know that her spirit will rest peacefull. Ashe.
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Thanks Guys for this. She is FIERCE on the keys, just as FIERCE as ‘Trane’s sax. Bud Powell’s influence as well as her Divine talent definitely make her somewhat of a prolific musician/pianist/keyboardist. Nowadays, we can think of Roberta Flack, Diana Krall, Aretha Franklin, even Alicia Keyes, as talented piano players. However, much respect to Alice for the generation that she lived in, and being able to go beyond the legendary shadow of John Coltrane. Since two of her sons are musicians, I wonder what her daughter is doing.
As far as Ghana Nila is concerned, as a Christian, I’m not taken aback. It is SOUL Music…as in Saving your SOUL music. 🙂 Especially the ending…you can’t tell me they ain’t singing Gospel in another language.
January 22nd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Thanks for this one.
I do never liked the term Black music.
Alice Coltrane is really big in Europe and Japan, she is like a Goddess.
Her contribution to the current wave of new music is really BIG.
It is really wrong to limit our children to this very ghettoization of art. In individualism we find uncorrupted self.
Her music was influenced by extended improvisation and Asian / Indian art as well.
But being highly individual that it is universal.
This current generation stagnation is due to this ghettoization.
We are not open to the world.
We just internationalized this racist bias – Black rhythm.
For example European modernists weren´t afraid of the pigmy music, some even said it is more advanced than the European art music.
And in Nick Drake music I heard African music.
If I am wrong about our ghettoization…
Then why is it that there is´t currently no African person, under 40 (be it from Africa or from USA) that is advancing any instrument sound?
And please check Steve Reid, Luis Moholo, Victor Gama – http://www.victorgama.org, he is a composer, instrument builder and theorist have worked with William Parker also.
Check grime, an “alternative“ to hip hop that been bombarding London underground.
One of the best composers alive Anthony Braxton – http://www.wesleyan.edu/music/braxton/ , William Grant Still, Elizabeth Cotten – for me one of the best guitarist ever, Muhal Richard Abrams, Leroy Jenkins, Leo Smith and all the AACM visionaries, George Lewis. Eric Dolphy…
Sorry my rambling, it just makes me sad that I only have to check European mags like http://www.thewire.co.uk/ to find really Africans and Africans-Americans that worth to read about or to listen to.
Sorry my English and thanks for this one.
January 24th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Great stuff! I too was sadly deficient in my knowledge of Ms Coltrane’s work, tho’ I am greatly in love with John’s. Thanks for the eye- & ear- & mind-opening introduction.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
I just forget to post this… Unedited Transcript By Edwin Pouncey, an Alice Coltrane interview. Its from The Wire 218, April 2002. http://www.thewire.co.uk/web/unpublished/alice_coltrane.html … “Oh, Japan was so special because the people were so lovely with such a deep admiration. Americans were confused about this new direction. "It wasn’t liked very well by Americans." But the Japanese embraced it.“ That mag is just awesome. For all you gays who cares about art / books / music and more just buy it every month. It worth it. You can read about/from Amiri Baraka (he is a musician too), Henry Flynt, Lamomte Young etc…
been there / done that
we already have a link to the wire interview in the write-up on alice coltrane. thanks for thinking about us. you are right, the wire is a good magazine. i know (from your previous comment) that you think calling our music "black music" is a limitation—you used the term "ghettoization of art" and you probably think you are hipping some of us to things we don’t know, but rather than blackness being a limitation or a ghetto, we have different views. and that’s ok. we’re glad that "breath of life – a conversation about black music" is a website that you visit.
as sun ra taught us long time ago: sunlight is black. don’t be afraid to step into the light…
—kalamu
January 24th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
No, we have not different views.
My comment wasn´t about breath of life.
I was reffering to Africans, being you from Africa or anywhere.
I also refered to AACM, they breeds the art ensemble of chicago, and no one championed Black Music as they do and still.
I was refering to the kind of music are being made and called Black music.
In the 50´s and 60´s “Black music“ was of wider borders, now it is very narrow one.
No attack on you.
Thanks for responding.
I just miss that link.
And sorry for my bad English.
And is you remember I posted here on regarding poetry and music, it was 2 or 3 years ago.
May 13th, 2007 at 6:12 am
About 3 years ago I dropped into a black hole – four months of absolute terror. I wanted to end my life, but somehow [Holy Spirit], I reached out to a friend who took me to hospital. I had three visits [hospital] in four months – I actually thought I was in hell. I imagine I was going through some sort of metamorphosis [mental, physical & spiritual]. I had been seeing a therapist [1994] on a regular basis, up until this point in time. I actually thought I would be locked away – but the hospital staff was very supportive [I had no control over my process]. I was released from hospital 16th September 1994, but my fear, pain & shame had only subsided a little. I remember this particular morning waking up [home] & my process would start up again [fear, pain, & shame]. No one could help me, not even my therapist [I was terrified]. I asked Jesus Christ to have mercy on me & forgive me my sins. Slowly, all my fear has dissipated & I believe Jesus delivered me from my “psychological prison.” I am a practicing Catholic & the Holy Spirit is my friend & strength; every day since then has been a joy & blessing. I deserve to go to hell for the life I have led, but Jesus through His sacrifice on the cross, delivered me from my inequities. John 3: 8, John 15: 26, are verses I can relate to, organically. He’s a real person who is with me all the time. I have so much joy & peace in my life, today, after a childhood spent in orphanages [England & Australia]. God LOVES me so much. Fear, pain, & shame, are no longer my constant companions. I just wanted to share my experience with you [Luke 8: 16 – 17].
Peace Be With You
Micky
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