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The John Coltrane Symposium
Sep 28, 2019
The John Coltrane Symposium
Saturday, October 26th, 2019, 12pm - 8pm
The Church of the Advocate
1801 W. Diamond Street
Philadelphia, PA 19121
FREE ADMISSION
Email Symposium Questions Here
The John Coltrane Symposium is a special event happening at the legendary Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia. This church has long been a critical supporter of all things progressive, creative and political in its community. In fact, it was one of the last places where John Coltrane performed in Philadelphia.
The symposium, coordinated by Dr. Anyabwile Love is an all day affair, a call to gather, to celebrate, dialogue and share testimony, insights and questions about the great Philadelphia Jazz icon, John Coltrane. The general public is invited. From those who are Coltrane afficiandoes, to the uninitiated are encouraged to take part.
Philadelphia native Anyabwile Love is a African American Studies professor. He received his Ph.D. in Africana Studies from Temple University, in May 2014. His dissertation focused on the KiKongo cosmology and the life & music of John Coltrane. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of History at the Community College of Philadelphia.
PJP spoke with historian, Dr. Anyabwile Love about the upcoming symposium.
PJP: Who is John Coltrane and why is he still important now?
Anyabwile Love: Coltrane of course is an international jazz giant. His musical relationship to Philadelphia is still felt some fifty plus years after his passing. His brilliance and commitment to pushing his art forward and beyond the boundaries of its intended structures continues to astound both listeners and performers. Also his life outside of music left an example for us all to try to emulate in so many ways.
PJP: Tell us a little about why you wanted to do this Coltrane Symposium?
Anyabwile Love: Part of the inspiration came from wanting to live with and wrestle with my own ideas on Coltrane’s music and life outside of just my own mind. I wanted to bring the community and community-minded folk together to talk Trane, learn Trane and be inspired by Trane. Another part of the inspiration comes from what musician Leonard Brown and The Friends of Great Black Music Loft have been doing with the John Coltrane Memorial Concert series up in Boston. The goal is to add to the memories that are being kept about Coltrane.
PJP: Tell us some more about the event and the folk working with you?
Anyabwile Love: The event will be a daylong event at the historical Church of the Advocate, Saturday October 26th. It will start at 12pm with a screening of the documentary, The World According to John Coltrane. Following that we will have three panels that will engage in conversations about Coltrane, his life, music and philosophy. Lastly, we will have a musical performance by the Alfie Pollitt Trio, featuring Alan Nelson and Richard Hill. We will also have a screening of a short doc. produced by young Philly artist, Kweli Stevens.
ABOUT COLTRANE:
John William Coltrane, also called Trane, was one of the most celebrated jazz saxophonists and composers in America in the mid-20th century. He was surrounded by music from his early childhood; but became immersed in it when he lost his father at the age of 13, often practicing till three o’clock in the morning. However, he did not have any formal training until after the Second World War when he started studying Jazz theory with Dennis Sandole. Concurrently, he began to play with different bands, first as an alto saxophonist and later as a tenor saxophonist. His breakthrough came when he moved New York City at the age of 29 at the invitation of Miles Davis, subsequently establishing himself as a solo artist and leader of his own group, ‘John Coltrane Quartet’. In the last two years of his life, his works became more and more spiritual. Today, he is remembered as an icon of 20th century jazz.
The John Coltrane Symposium
Saturday, October 26th, 2019, 12pm - 8pm
The Church of the Advocate
1801 W. Diamond Street
Philadelphia, PA 19121
FREE ADMISSION
Email Symposium Questions Here
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Philadelphia Jazz Project is a sponsored project of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, with funding provided by The Philadelphia Foundation.