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“…because of the density of textures he was using. His multitone improvisations were so thick and complex they were almost flowing out of the horn by themselves.” (Thomas, 106)

Spiritually, the "sheets of sound" technique reflected a time in Coltrane's life when he was searching for the unknown. His desire to complete his spiritual journey was evident in his music. The continuous fluidity of sound he produced was reminiscent of exploring uncharted avenues and witnessing sights formerly unseen. Coltrane's musical experiments were not always successful. Sometimes he would attempt to play what he heard in a dream unsuccessfully, due to technical difficulty or the limitations of the musical instrument. The greater relationship with God Coltrane was seeking and the things that he wanted to accomplish musically became two synonymous goals after 1957. Through rededicating himself to God, Coltrane indirectly dedicated his music to God. Coltrane saw music as a manifestation of his feelings, desires, and emotions. His search for oneness with God intensified his desire to play what he felt God inspired him to play. Just as Coltrane had re-occurring dreams and glimpses of his spiritual goal, he also had dreams and glimpses of the music that he wanted to produce.

Trinity

During Coltrane’s post-Monk tenure with Davis, he also tried various rhythmic approaches to music. One of the most prevalent and notable was his usage of the triplet in its various numeric degrees. Coltrane would use the triplet to accomplish many different feats, such as changing the rhythmic direction, or expanding tonality. An example of Coltrane's early usage of the triplet is evident in his solo in "Straight, No Chaser" at the Newport Jazz Festival in the summer of 1958 with Miles. This exploration of a Monk blues can be heard on Miles Davis’ Miles & Monk at Newport (Columbia 8978). 4 According to African musicologist Fela Sowande and other scholars of traditional Black religious music, this figure plays an important spiritual role. 5 Sowande also posits that the triplet plays an important role in the music and language of the Yoruba. 6 Bill Cole agrees with Sowande and adds that triplet is related to the concept of "UNITY" which he defines as "GOD-MAN-NATURE" (Cole, 106).

During his seven-year search, Coltrane played more and more non-Western music. He preferred, as we will soon explore, a sound characteristic of either traditional West African or traditional Indian music. This is in keeping with Sowande's idea of the importance of the Yoruban "konkolo," or triplet. Any concept of spirituality or religion encompasses the relationship between man, nature and a Supreme Being. Coltrane's religion prior to 1957 - Christianity - is based on the idea of the Trinity (similar to Cole's idea of UNITY), encompassing The Father (God), The Son (Jesus), and The Holy Spirit. 7 I believe that this doctrine was, more than any, the basis of the spirituality behind the triplet. It is this doctrine that Coltrane built upon in his work, "A Love Supreme." Coltrane makes many references to the Christian idea of God in the text to "Love Supreme,"

"We are all one in his grace. The fact that we do exist is acknowledgment of Thee, O Lord..." 8

Towards A Concept of Spirituality

During Coltrane’s religious and spiritual rebirth, he augmented his library with various texts relating to a wide variety of subjects, including Islam, Hinduism, the Kabbala, Jiddu Krishnamurti, yoga, math, science, astrology, African history, spirituals, and works by Aristotle and Plato, amongst others. These texts and disciplines, though they don't necessarily form a cohesive relation, are the foundation for many schools of thought. Coltrane, in my opinion, was attempting to explore the major schools of thought and to have a well-rounded understanding of the relationship between God and man which would later be the foundation for “A Love Supreme.” Further, as an intelligent and “in touch” member of society Coltrane aimed to quench his increasing thirst for knowledge.

The year 1964 marked a crucial stage in Coltrane's spiritual journey. He had spent seven long years developing his own style of music. He experimented with various tones, timbres, fingerings, and even reeds and mouthpieces in order to find the tone he desired - a tone of feeling, depth, and color. He developed a tone full of motion and surprises often utilizing squeaks and hollers, rapid high-pitched glisses, and on ballads he often switched to a low, warm vibrato. By 1964, Coltrane's music spoke of beauty, kindness, humanistic values and God. His music is an example of the African-to-African American musical continuum, in which traits and characteristics of traditional African music have been retained and used in Black music. These characteristics include functionality (music used to offer praise to God), his ability to fill up all of the musical space ("sheets of sound"), his development of the speech-to-sound continuum (saxophone as an extension of his voice), and his idea that music and religion were inseparable. 10

As Coltrane's relationship with God strengthened, he had dreams in which God revealed various ideas and musical works to him. In the fall of 1964, Coltrane said that God revealed the entire work of "A Love Supreme" to him (Thomas, 184). Coltrane was now commissioned as a disciple and ordained as a minister. On the fall morning of 1964 while engorged in an extensive session of meditation, Coltrane received the command to go out and preach God's word as a mature musician both musically and spiritually committed to God. From this point on until Coltrane's death in 1967, he remarked that 90 percent of his playing was prayer (Simpkins, 179). 11

A Love Supreme

The first selection of the suite "Acknowledgment" begins with an ensemble pedal point with a strong gong-sound from the drummer (Elvin Jones), a signal that something important is about to be revealed. Slowly, there is a build-up with the bass - the foundation - entering, speaking "A Love Supreme" (11). Then Coltrane enters (22), telling us the story behind the piece. He explicates his religious background, the foundation upon which his concept of spirituality resides. The tone of his horn is that of a minister anointed by the spirit of God to relay a heaven-sent message. Coltrane effectively uses patterns similar to those used by preachers in the Black Church. Coltrane's usage of the pendular third, the rise and fall of his voice, the tension-filled climax and the timely resolution all bespeak the influence of the Black preacher. 13 This also implies Coltrane's position as a minister delivering his concept of spirituality to the world. He plays with great confidence, for now he is playing for God. As Coltrane ventures further into his exposition, he tells of the goodness of God and testifies on how with his [God] help, Coltrane turned his life around and reached a point of spiritual re-dedication (1957).

Coltrane also relates his endless search for closeness with God. Climactic points in this selection are characterized by the usage of few changing notes and the rhythmic development of the high-pitched triplets (43-52; 56-64 & 73-86). Although Coltrane had been experimenting with it for some time, 1964 witnessed the fruition of this technique. Previously, Coltrane would attempt to play long glisses in the high register and miss a note or two and would sometimes even stop playing for a short time in an attempt to make the best of his choice of notes (Simpkins, 49). However, in this solo, the high range is approached in a very musical and meaningful manner, Coltrane prepares climaxes and descends into an equally effective resolution. The first few climaxes (43-52; 56-64) symbolize his 1957 spiritual upliftment. From this exploration of the 1957 "spiritual awakening," Coltrane returns to an even-stronger climax (73-86) in which he brings his story to the present relating his concept of spirituality. Coltrane, as the title indicates, uses this piece to acknowledge God, His [God] power and His [God] influence in Coltrane’s life and music. At the end of the piece, immediately after the third climax (94-114), Coltrane begins chanting “A Love Supreme” on his saxophone, using various registers, tonalities exploring the all-encompassing power and domain of God while also reminding of the importance of the triplet or Trinity. Immediately after, the instruments turn into voices (115), intensifying Coltrane's acknowledgment of "A LOVE SUPREME." This effect also shows Coltrane's study of the mantra, a Hindu meditation technique. 14

The “acknowledgement” is followed by the “Resolution” which showcases Coltrane’s interest in non-western techniques of musicality, especially the Indian raga. This influence is exhibited in the restatement of the eight measure figure which is repeated six times during the opening thirty seconds of the piece (the statement is presented three times followed by sixteen measures of another statement, then restated another three times leading into a piano solo). The remainder of the selection is indicative of the fine ensemble play of the Coltrane quartet.

The "Pursuance" section symbolizes Coltrane's fight with evil, his struggle to stay on the right path over a seven-year period. The music is full of references to struggle, especially the drum solo in the beginning (0-30), with its various rhythmic and pulse changes signaling different degrees of intensity. In this piece, each individual musician tells of his own participation in Coltrane's spiritual development (Tyner 37-82; Jones 134-142; Garrison 142-188). Coltrane, in his solo (82-134), re-emphasizes the fight between himself and evil.

The section of the suite entitled "Psalm" is the one in which Coltrane reveals the final product of his search. "Psalm" is accompanied by Coltrane playing the words of his poem "A Love Supreme" on his instrument - as opposed to his spoken voice. This is another example of Coltrane's use of the speech-to-sound continuum previously mentioned, and it is a deep and moving plea to the world. Again, Coltrane is using his horn to not only speak but convey his doctrine of spirituality to the world. His text is a very clear representation of a work influenced by Christianity (refer to note 8 for text).

John Coltrane's suite "A Love Supreme" ended his personal search and simultaneously initiated a new phase in the lives of musicians (regardless of genre, style or instrument) and music listeners, alike. Coltrane's spirituality has influenced many musicians and non-musicians to re-think their stand on spirituality, to re-consider the effects of religion or spirituality in their life, and finally, to encourage all to give praise to God. Coltrane's music whether regarded as “unique,” “innovative,” “weird” or “angry,” is best described by himself in this excerpt from the December 12, 1966 issue of Newsweek:

“My goal is to live the truly religious life and express it in my music. If you live it, when you play there’s no problem because the music is part of the whole thing. To be a musician is really something. It goes very, very deep. My music is the spiritual expression of what I am – my faith, my knowledge, my being.”

Notes

1 "Spiritual awakening" refers to the time Coltrane revisited his spiritual belief in God and re-dedicated himself to God. Coltrane writes in the notes to "A LOVE SUPREME" (Impulse A-77), "During the year 1957, I experienced, by the grace of God, a spiritual awakening which was to lead me to a richer, fuller, more productive life. At that time, in gratitude, I humbly asked to be given the means and privilege to make others happy through music."

2 Coltrane was raised in the household of the Rev. & Mrs. Blair (his maternal grandparents), along with his mother Alice, father John Sr., his aunt Betty, her husband, and their daughter Cousin Mary. Coltrane's parents and grandparents were well-educated, and both of his grandfathers were ministers in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

3 The use of the FT7 serves as a tritone substitution, also intensifying the V7 – I relationship between C7 and FD7.

4 Refer to Cole 81-3, 90-1 for musical analysis.

5 Excerpts of Fela Sowande's observations and theories can be found throughout Bill Cole's John Coltrane.

6 Sowande introduces the term "konkolo" rhythm in Bill Cole's John Coltrane (pp. 70), which is "like the triplet figure of African-American music."

7 Prior to 1957 Coltrane was also influenced by Islam, both during his years in Philadelphia and also through his wife Naima. Bill Cole mentions that Cousin Mary’s first husband Charles Greenlee was also a devout disciple. Although Coltrane was influenced, he never converted.

10 Refer to "The Significance of the Relationship between Afro-American Music & West African Music" by Olly Wilson in The Black Perspective in Music, 1974.

11 Coltrane actually made this statement in 1957 to Naima.

12 The parenthesized numbers refer to stereo counter numbers and are not in seconds.

13 Refer to "Black Music as an Art Form" by Olly Wilson in Black Music Research, 1983.

14 A Hindu form of religious recitation or singing.

References

• "A Love Supreme," Impulse A-77 (December 9, 1964). Reissued MCA 29020.
• Cole, Bill. John Coltrane. New York: Schirmer Books, 1976.
• Davis, Miles & Quincy Troupe. Miles: The Autobiography. New York: Touchstone, 1989.
• “Giant Steps,” Atlantic 1311 (May 4-5, 1959)
• "Milestones," Columbia 1193 (April 2, 1958)
• Porter, Lewis. John Coltrane's Music of 1960 through 1967: Jazz Improvisation As Composition. Dissertation: Brandeis University, 1983.
• Simpkins, Cuthbert Ormond. Coltrane: A Biography. Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1975.
• Thomas, J.C.. Chasin' The Trane. Garden City: Doubleday, 1975.
• White, Andrew Nathaniel III. Andrew's Music Catalogue. Washington, D.C.: Andrew's Musical Enterprises, 1977. A list of 421 available Coltrane transcriptions, with length, difficulty and album source for each.