Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup metatuning [Fwd: an interesting letter of coltranes

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [COLTRANE-L] Coltrane and Robeson (& Conyers)
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:31:41 +0000
From: David Tegnell <tegnelld@...>
Reply-To: Discussion of the life and works of John Coltrane <COLTRANE-L@...>
To: COLTRANE-L@...
References: <c1a.4bed8657.367bf1a2@...>

And don't forget this:

Personal letter written June 2, 1962 by John Coltrane to Don
DeMichael (then editor of Downbeat). From Simpkins, pp. 159-161. Dear Don,

Many thanks for sending Aaron Coplandï¿½s fine book ï¿½Music and
Imagination.ï¿½ I found it historically
revealing and on the whole, quite informative.

However, I do not feel that all of his tenets are entirely essential or applicable to the ï¿½jazzï¿½
musician. This book seems to be written
more for the American classical or semi-classical composer who has the problem,
as Copland sees it, of not finding himself an integral part of the musical
community, or having difficulty in finding a positive philosophy or
justification for his art. The ï¿½jazz
musician (You can have this term along with several others that have been foisted
upon us.) does not have this problem at all. We have absolutely no reason to worry about lack of positive and
affirmative philosophy. Itï¿½s built in
us. The phrasing, the sound of the
music attest this fact. We are
naturally endowed with it. You can
believe all of us would have perished long ago if this were not so. As to community, the whole face of the globe
is our community. You see, it is really
easy for us to create. We are born with
this feeling that just comes out no matter what conditions exist. Otherwise, how could our founding fathers
have produced this music in the first place when they surely found themselves
(as many of us do today) existing in hostile communities where there was
everything to fear and damn few to trust. Any music which could grow and propagate itself as our music has, must
have a hell of an affirmative belief inherent in it. Any person who claims to doubt this, or claims to believe that
the exponents of our music of freedom are not guided by this same entity, is
either prejudiced, musically sterile, just plain stupid or scheming. Believe me, Don, we all know that this word
which so many seem to fear today, ï¿½Freedom,ï¿½ has a hell of a lot to do with
this music. Anyway, I did find in
Coplandï¿½s book many fine points. For
example: ï¿½I cannot imagine an art work without implied convictions.ï¿½ ï¿½ Neither
can I. I am sure that you and many
others have enjoyed and garnered much of value from this well written book.

If I may, I would like to express a sincere hope that in the
near future, a vigorous investigation of the materials presented in this book
and others related will help cause an opening up of the ears that are still
closed to the progressive music created by the independent thinking artist of
today. When this is accomplished, I am
certain that the owners of such ears will easily recognize the very vital and
highly enjoyable qualities that exists in this music. I also feel that through such honest endeavor, the contributions of
future creators will be more easily recognized, appreciated and enjoyed;
particularly by the listener who may otherwise miss the point (intellectually,
emotionally, sociologically, etc.) because of inhibitions, a lack of
understanding, limited means of association or other reasons.

You know, Don, I was reading a book on the life of Van Gogh
today, and I had to pause and think of that wonderful and persistent force ï¿½
the creative urge. The creative urge
was in this man who found himself so much at odds wit the world he lived in,
and in spite of all the adversity, frustrations, rejections and so forth ï¿½
beautiful and living art came forth abundantlyï¿½if only he could be here
today. Truth is indestructible. It seems history shows (and itï¿½s the same
way today) that the innovator is more often than not met with some degree of
condemnation; usually according to the degree of departure from the prevailing
modes of expression or what have you. Change is always so hard to accept. We also see that these innovators always seek to revitalize, extend or reconstruct
the status quo in their given fields, wherever it is needed. Quit often they are the rejects, outcasts,
sub-citizens, etc. of the very societies to which they bring so much
sustenance. Often they are people who
endure great personal tragedy in their lives. Whatever the case, whe6ther accepted or rejected, rich or poor, they are
forever guided by that great and eternal constant the creative urge. Let us cherish it and give praise to
God. Thank you and best wishes to all.

----------------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:34:10 -0500
> From: ChrisDeVito@...
> Subject: Re: [COLTRANE-L] Coltrane and Robeson (& Conyers)
> To: COLTRANE-L@...
>
> Sometime between late 1964 and 1967, Coltrane wrote a letter to Congressman
> John Conyers suggesting that financial assistance be provided to musicians "via
> grants or whatever, public or private. ...Being close to the front of this
> most indigenous music, we believe such support would greatly free the creative
> individual & allow him to develop his work naturally...without undue pressure
> economic or otherwise. ...It would be a great thing...to extend to the
> dedicated men & women of this music the help they need & truly deserve to keep
> this native art form alive, healthy & ever growing."
>
> A handwritten draft of the letter was auctioned at Guernsey's Jazz auction in
> Feb. 2005 -- see the auction catalog, p. 116, Lot 232. It's written in red
> ink (with some revisions in green ink) and isn't dated but has the Dix Hills
> address. Conyers was elected in Nov. 1964 and took office in Jan. '65 (and
> has been in office ever since), so the letter might have been written as early
> as late '64, or sometime in 1965-67.
>
> I wish we'd included this in the Coltrane Reference but it got lost in the
> shuffle somehow. (By the way, there's no indication of whether Coltrane
> received a reply or not. I suspect his proposal didn't get very far.)
>
> --DeVito
>
> THE JOHN COLTRANE REFERENCE
> www.routledge.com
> www.amazon.com
>
>
> In a message dated 12/17/08 5:28:58 PM, tegnelld@... writes:
>> From the listserv archive (and see also John Coltrane Reference, pp.
>> 313-313):
>> --December 27, 1964 (Sunday, 2 p.m.). Manhattan, NYC, Village Gate. "Sunday
>> December 27th 2 p.m. / Holiday Benefit / FREEDOMWAYS / DICK GREGORY / JOHN
>> COLTRANE / max roach / abbey lincoln / bill dixon / len chandler / and many
>> others / VILLAGE GATE / 185 Thompson St. / Tickets--799 Bï¿½way--Rm. 544 /
>> Adm.
>> $5.75." (This confirms the following 1964 entry in Porter, p. 372: "December
>> 27, 2:00 p.m. Manhattan. Village Gate. Benefit for civil rights periodical
>> Freedomways.")
>>
>> ******
>> So, Coltrane's known political activities:
>> 63-1118--recording of Alabama
>> 63-1207--taping of Alabama for broadcast on public television
>> 64-0406--attendance at speech delivered by Malcolm X
>> 64-0426--performance for benefit for Congress of Racial Equality
>> 64-1227--performance for Freedomways benefit
>> 65-0422--sponsorship of benefit for Paul Robeson
>> 66-0424--benefit for St. Gregory's School
>> 67-0423--performance for benefit of Olatunji Center
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------
>>> Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:02:55 -0800
>>> From: lkjih2000@...
>>> Subject: [COLTRANE-L] Coltrane and Robeson
>>> To: COLTRANE-L@...
>>>
>>> Last month this list had a few e-mails about "Coltrane's politics." Some
>> of you might want to know about a "salute" to Paul Robeson that the
>> Freedomways review held on April 22, 1965 in New York City. According to Martin Bauml
>> Duberman's biography of Robeson (p. 528), Coltrane was one of the people who
>> "did offer" to "sponsor" this event. (For some reason, Coltrane's name does
>> not appear in the index of Duberman's book). The New York Amsterdam News on
>> April 17, 1965 (p. 10) also noted that Coltrane was a sponsor. (There is no
>> mention of Coltrane in the description of the event that appeared in the New
>> York Amsterdam News on May 1, 1965 (pp. 1-2).)
>>>
>>> Now if I may make a wild suggestion - given the FBI's interest in all
>> things related to Robeson, the above raises the remote possibility that the FBI
>> opened a file on Coltrane in April 1965 and the even more remote possibility
>> that the FBI began to tape and preserve recordings of Coltrane's concerts.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----------------------------------------------
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>>
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>>
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>
>
>
>
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/^_,',',',_ //^ /Kraig Grady_ ^_,',',',_
Mesotonal Music from:
_'''''''_ ^North/Western Hemisphere: North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island <http://anaphoria.com/>

_'''''''_ ^South/Eastern Hemisphere:
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[Fwd: an interesting letter of coltranes

🔗Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@...>