John Coltrane

Just listened to a very good hour-long audio interview with John Coltrane recorded in November 1966. It's funny, for all the years I've been listening to Coltrane this may be the first time I've heard the man in conversation, and everything I've read about him - his shyness, his humility, his generosity of spirit is validated over the course of the interview. Coltrane is a little frosty at first, responding to Frank Kofsky's probing questions with clipped answers, but soon enough finds his stride and clearly enjoys discussing music. I won't give anything away for anyone who wants to listen, but I did enjoy Coltrane neatly side-stepping Kofsky's attempt to tease out some controversy about a well-known jazz musician. And there's a poignant moment near the conclusion of the interview where Coltrane looks forward to making a practice room at his home, little knowing he had less than a year of his extraordinary life to live. The interview comes with one minor caveat - it sounds like it was recorded outdoors so there are a few instances of ambient noise to contend with but fortunately these are fleeting moments, and are entirely ignorable. Listen here