A new book set for release on Sept. 1 features tributes from Patti Smith and Carlos Santana to jazz legend John Coltrane. The volume, edited by Coltrane's son Ravi, marks the musician's centenary with photos and commentary from admirers.
The book pairs images of the saxophonist with essays on his influence. Santana describes Coltrane's music as a quantum leap in sound and light that rearranges the listener's molecular structure. He recalls first hearing A Love Supreme and notes the paradox of its violent yet peaceful qualities.
Smith recounts her teenage introduction to Coltrane's work in the early 1960s. She describes a brief encounter hearing the quartet at the Showboat in Philadelphia and later attending his memorial service at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in New York.
Both contributors highlight Coltrane's spiritual impact. Santana calls his gift directly from the mind of God, while Smith portrays his playing as an expression of unified love and creative ascent.
