Joe (4th from right) with a host of other dedicated Coltrane Home Volunteers at the 2019 Coltrane Day. Photo by Katheryn Laible
One great thing about getting involved in something you care about is finding friends who share that passion. I really appreciate how another ardent Coltrane volunteer, Joe Natter, often shares articles that help us better understand the legacy we seek to steward. Here are some of his “clippings:”
Many are quick to point out that, while John’s genius is undeniable, his wife Alice was in many ways his match. Said Joe, “Here’s a link to a recent WNYC podcast from the Brian Lehrer radio program: Iconic at 50: Alice Coltrane’s ‘Journey in Satchidananda.’”
Notes Joe, “The album was recorded in the basement studio of the Coltrane Home in Dix Hills.…and if you’d like to listen to the title track from the album”
In another email, “Interesting Washington Post article on a reissue of an Alice Coltrane classic.”
Last summer he shared, “Here’s a link to a recent Jazz Times feature about “Preserving Jazz Homes.” The article starts with the John and Alice Coltrane Home.”
Here’s the Newsday piece on the grant: “Historic Coltrane house scores $1M grant from Mellon Foundation”
Then he shared “Another excellent article, this time focusing on Ravi”
“Another excellent article, by Ben Ratliff in the Washington Post, Nov. 3, 2021. The focus is Trane’s 1961 Village Vanguard recordings, but the article puts the music in time and place, NY and the world in 1961.
The grant came on September 23. Said Joe, “Wishing everyone all the best on John Coltrane’s birthday. And we should all listen to at least a bit of Trane to celebrate the day and to remember the beauty of his music and the continued relevance of his life and legacy.
I hope everyone is well and staying safe in these unusual times.
Warm regards,
Joe N.”
We wish you the best, too, Joe. Thank you for thinking of us.
