Love Supreme

I have been quite 'arid' with this blogging business. Rather than dry up entirely I thought I would say a word or two about John Coltrane's A Love Supreme. Many great essays have been written about this recording so I don't need to say much here other than some personal reflections. I have been unable to tire of this record. The opening line just hooks me every time. I think also the intensity of the music makes so much else seem insipid and ingratiating. I suspect that many of us have from time to time almost given up on everything else in life to devote what time we have left to listen to Coltrane. These feelings are testimony to the music's power. Many have said that he took jazz pretty much as far as it would go; the other famous complement is

that he 'killed jazz'. This is hyperbolic. His death meant a tremendous loss to the industry. His son Ravi now seems to carry the mantle, and has really developed the atonal style of playing the tenor sax.

Thanks for reading.