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Ascension: vita e musica di John Coltrane
John Coltrane è uno dei più influenti musicisti del Novecento. Esiste un jazz prima e dopo di lui, ma la sua importanza va oltre il semplice ambito della musica d’improvvisazione. Il rock e l’avanguardia contemporanea devono molto alla sua ricerca sonora, che è anche un autentico anelito alla spiritualità.
Eric Nisenson ripercorre criticamente le diverse fasi dell’avventura estetica e spirituale di un artista che non solo ha cambiato il modo in cui si suona, ma ha anche profondamente influito sul modo in cui si ascolta la musica: dalle prime esperienze con Dizzy Gillespie e Johnny Hodges alle collaborazioni con Thelonius Monk e Miles Davis, durante le quali Coltrane esplora ed esaurisce le possibilità dell’armonia occidentale, fino alla scoperta delle strutture modali.
Dal 1960 al 1967, l’anno della morte, avvenuta a soli quarantun anni, Coltrane rivoluziona l’estetica della musica afroamericana, approdando al free jazz e oltre, al suono puro, seguendo un percorso parallelo ma distinto da quello di Ornette Coleman. Eccezionale strumentista, ma più ancora compositore e improvvisatore di straordinaria intensità, Coltrane è una figura fondamentale nella storia della musica.
Nisenson, oltre a ripercorrere con grande attenzione la vicenda biografica, ne contestualizza l’opera, inserendola nella temperie socioculturale americana degli anni Sessanta e individuandone l’eredità nella musica americana degli ultimi quarant’anni.
Eric Nisenson ripercorre criticamente le diverse fasi dell’avventura estetica e spirituale di un artista che non solo ha cambiato il modo in cui si suona, ma ha anche profondamente influito sul modo in cui si ascolta la musica: dalle prime esperienze con Dizzy Gillespie e Johnny Hodges alle collaborazioni con Thelonius Monk e Miles Davis, durante le quali Coltrane esplora ed esaurisce le possibilità dell’armonia occidentale, fino alla scoperta delle strutture modali.
Dal 1960 al 1967, l’anno della morte, avvenuta a soli quarantun anni, Coltrane rivoluziona l’estetica della musica afroamericana, approdando al free jazz e oltre, al suono puro, seguendo un percorso parallelo ma distinto da quello di Ornette Coleman. Eccezionale strumentista, ma più ancora compositore e improvvisatore di straordinaria intensità, Coltrane è una figura fondamentale nella storia della musica.
Nisenson, oltre a ripercorrere con grande attenzione la vicenda biografica, ne contestualizza l’opera, inserendola nella temperie socioculturale americana degli anni Sessanta e individuandone l’eredità nella musica americana degli ultimi quarant’anni.
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 2, 2012
I recently re-read this book, after reading it the first time over 15 years ago. This book was a huge influence on my life the first time I read it. What drew me to it can be found in the sub-title: how Coltrane lived his life as a quest. His approach to his life as a musician can be an inspiration to anyone who's interested in mastery as a means of helping the world become present to truth, beauty, and meaning. You don't have to be a musician or a fan of Coltrane to get a lot of value from this book.
Reading it the second time, I was reminded of something that bothered me the first time, and bothered me even more now: Nisenson was so strongly influenced by the culture of the 1960's that he constantly credits his favorite influences from that time for having been the source of the music. At one point, Nisenson says proclaims that "it is impossible to separate free jazz from the Sixties - no other decade could have given birth to this music". I was really put off by these statements, and the book is full of them. Nisenson sets people from that era apart from the rest of us, as if they have some kind of secret knowledge that the rest of us can never have. His own book shows that Coltrane didn't approach his music like that, and it's distracting to be constantly reminded by Nisenson that he came of age during that time.
If you can tune the Sixties bias out, I highly recommend this book. It will offer an approach to life that can set you off on your own quest.
Reading it the second time, I was reminded of something that bothered me the first time, and bothered me even more now: Nisenson was so strongly influenced by the culture of the 1960's that he constantly credits his favorite influences from that time for having been the source of the music. At one point, Nisenson says proclaims that "it is impossible to separate free jazz from the Sixties - no other decade could have given birth to this music". I was really put off by these statements, and the book is full of them. Nisenson sets people from that era apart from the rest of us, as if they have some kind of secret knowledge that the rest of us can never have. His own book shows that Coltrane didn't approach his music like that, and it's distracting to be constantly reminded by Nisenson that he came of age during that time.
If you can tune the Sixties bias out, I highly recommend this book. It will offer an approach to life that can set you off on your own quest.
August 25, 2019
I remember wanting to read this in college, but the online reviews weren't good, and most of them recommended John Coltrane: His Life and Music by Lewis Porter instead. I wish I'd trusted my instincts -- the Porter book was well-researched but left me underwhelmed, and Eric Nisenson's Ascension, which I finally read recently, is exactly what I was looking for.
This book isn't a straight-up biography, but more of a series of essays covering the key moments of Coltrane's artistic development, with personal opinions and analysis along the way (including a vivid review of the first time the author saw Coltrane's "classic quartet" play live, which was the highlight of the book for me). In the end, it also tells the story of Coltrane's life and "quest": the story of a late-bloomer finding his voice (after having a religious vision while detoxing from heroin and alcohol), and eventually becoming the most important jazz musician of the 1960's. Unlike a lot of traditional jazz critics, who think Coltrane peaked with Blue Train or Giant Steps, this author praises Coltrane for being an innovator, and gives his later, more experimental work the attention and praise it deserves.
Everytime I found a passage I really liked in this book I dog-eared the page corner, and I had to laugh when I realized that almost every page had its corner bent by the end.
The book has a few flaws (the last chapter recapping jazz after Coltrane's death goes on too long, and a few sections are sloppily written or repetitive), but it's such a rare book for its kind, and inspired me so much that it deserves 5-stars anyway.
This book isn't a straight-up biography, but more of a series of essays covering the key moments of Coltrane's artistic development, with personal opinions and analysis along the way (including a vivid review of the first time the author saw Coltrane's "classic quartet" play live, which was the highlight of the book for me). In the end, it also tells the story of Coltrane's life and "quest": the story of a late-bloomer finding his voice (after having a religious vision while detoxing from heroin and alcohol), and eventually becoming the most important jazz musician of the 1960's. Unlike a lot of traditional jazz critics, who think Coltrane peaked with Blue Train or Giant Steps, this author praises Coltrane for being an innovator, and gives his later, more experimental work the attention and praise it deserves.
Everytime I found a passage I really liked in this book I dog-eared the page corner, and I had to laugh when I realized that almost every page had its corner bent by the end.
The book has a few flaws (the last chapter recapping jazz after Coltrane's death goes on too long, and a few sections are sloppily written or repetitive), but it's such a rare book for its kind, and inspired me so much that it deserves 5-stars anyway.
May 9, 2011
Most impressive about this book is the fact that while Eric Nisenson is clearly a huge Coltrane fan, he doesn't let his adoration of the man and his music blunt his critical edge. I am also a big fan of the general thrust of this book; rather than trying to be a comprehensive biography, it focuses on what Coltrane was trying to accomplish with his music, describing the constant progression that embodied Coltrane's oeuvre and trying to explain where that impetus for progress came from. If anything, I wish Nisenson had delved deeper into Coltrane’s spirituality, because obviously that spirituality is at the center of Coltrane's "quest." Perhaps that would be an impossible task, but maybe not — after all, Alice Coltrane was alive and well when this book was written, and as Nisenson says himself, she shared her husband's spiritual journey. Why the author apparently conducted no interview with Alice Coltrane is mystifying to me; it seems that, given that she held a celebration of her husband's life and work each year, she would be more than willing to talk about him.
Nisenson's discourse on Coltrane's body of work itself is excellent. He doesn't go into in-depth analysis of any given album or performance, but manages to touch on all the major works in the context of Coltrane's broader stylistic phases. His writing is compelling readable, moreso than most overviews of this sort that I've read. My only real gripes are with the final chapter, "After the Trane," in which Nisenson gives his thoughts on the state of jazz post-Coltrane. Nisenson's insistence that no truly pathbreaking jazz flagbearer has emerged after Coltrane’s death is probably spot-on, but also probably misses the point. After the 60s, after all, jazz fragmented into all sorts of new directions (Nisenson touches on fusion but little else), making it almost impossible for a real "flagbearer" to come into existence. The time of the standard-bearing jazz icon is past, but that doesn't necessarily say anything about the state of jazz today other than that "jazz" itself has become a more diffuse concept. (Hello Wynton Marsalis.)
Also, Nisenson has a weird attitude towards rock. He acknowledges that some of the musicians that have best carried on Coltrane's spirit have been in rock (namely, Jimi Hendrix). He acknowledges that some rock bands use improvisational techniques that follow on the jazz tradition in general and Coltrane's legacy in particular. He says that he is a fan of much pop/rock. But then, in his discussion of fusion, he turns his nose up at rock and exhibits a kind of snobbish genre superiority so unfortunately common among fans of musical forms that have pretentions of "seriousness". Finally, he says nary a word about much in the way of avant-rock (which is understandable) or the modern wave of avant-jazz (which is less so, although in this book's defense, it was written in the mid-1990s, when it was probably much less clear that there were very exciting contemporary things going on in underground avant-garde "jazz").
Regardless of these faults, this is still a book I highly recommend to anyone even remotely interested in Coltrane. He's a fascinating figure and this book does his legacy justice.
Nisenson's discourse on Coltrane's body of work itself is excellent. He doesn't go into in-depth analysis of any given album or performance, but manages to touch on all the major works in the context of Coltrane's broader stylistic phases. His writing is compelling readable, moreso than most overviews of this sort that I've read. My only real gripes are with the final chapter, "After the Trane," in which Nisenson gives his thoughts on the state of jazz post-Coltrane. Nisenson's insistence that no truly pathbreaking jazz flagbearer has emerged after Coltrane’s death is probably spot-on, but also probably misses the point. After the 60s, after all, jazz fragmented into all sorts of new directions (Nisenson touches on fusion but little else), making it almost impossible for a real "flagbearer" to come into existence. The time of the standard-bearing jazz icon is past, but that doesn't necessarily say anything about the state of jazz today other than that "jazz" itself has become a more diffuse concept. (Hello Wynton Marsalis.)
Also, Nisenson has a weird attitude towards rock. He acknowledges that some of the musicians that have best carried on Coltrane's spirit have been in rock (namely, Jimi Hendrix). He acknowledges that some rock bands use improvisational techniques that follow on the jazz tradition in general and Coltrane's legacy in particular. He says that he is a fan of much pop/rock. But then, in his discussion of fusion, he turns his nose up at rock and exhibits a kind of snobbish genre superiority so unfortunately common among fans of musical forms that have pretentions of "seriousness". Finally, he says nary a word about much in the way of avant-rock (which is understandable) or the modern wave of avant-jazz (which is less so, although in this book's defense, it was written in the mid-1990s, when it was probably much less clear that there were very exciting contemporary things going on in underground avant-garde "jazz").
Regardless of these faults, this is still a book I highly recommend to anyone even remotely interested in Coltrane. He's a fascinating figure and this book does his legacy justice.
October 7, 2010
I chose this book from all the others because it described itself not just as a straight up biography, but rather an attempt to tell the story of the spiritual quest that was an integral part of Coltrane's musical development and output. I felt that any exploration of his life (and therefore music) should naturally concentrate on this, given the intense spirituality and truly transcendent nature of his work, like that of his amazing wife (who I should soon FINALLY get to read about, once I've saved up enough money to buy the new book...)
I wasn't disappointed and would highly recommend this book, not just for music lovers but also for those interested in illuminated thought and artistic growth through personal conceptual exploration. It's a very good book, certainly due to the strength of the author who could have been the kind of jazz critic Philip Larkin apparently was (whose extracts I read with naked horror), but there again if that were the case, I doubt he would have had the inclination to write a book like this in the first place. Like one of the reviews on the back says, the author is aware of the subjectivity in listening to music, and he gives a really fair, intelligent and unpretentious review of the various stages of JC's output, never placing himself above the subject matter - he saves his personal reaction for a moving and fitting coda.
The biographical information is seamlessly woven into social and cultural history and enriched with insights into the life and work of other musicians who preceded, accompanied or followed Coltrane. I also felt it helpful the author tried to burst a few jazz myths (for want of a better phrase) peddled by critics along the way, which helps to humanise the subject back to where (I feel) it belongs, i.e. in the realm of emotion. Also, along the way, I found several other books and albums to immerse myself in which is always a delight.
The two reasons the book didn't achieve a '5' score were firstly, because that may have been more a reflection of my feelings of the subject than the book as a work, and secondly because I thought the author's (albeit fairly brief) treatment of Sun Ra seemed unfair and narrow minded. In a book so open to exploring Coltrane's personal visions, it seemed a bit bizarre that the author couldn't extend the same appreciation to Sun Ra's personal and highly spiritual cosmology, as yet again he is practically written off as an eccentric (sigh).
Overall though, the naked beauty and passion of JC's quest which is so evident on record really shines through, but the presentation of the possibility of an inherent tension and danger in that process did make me think about the music in a different way, all of which created a somewhat chilling and undoubtedly addictive effect as I followed the star ascendant.
So whilst I found my love for this beautiful soul (being man and music in one) only expanded, the book stimulated my thoughts on my personal fear of pursuing artistic endeavour without safe-guards, and I find this uncovering of personal ambivalence a good thing...but then maybe I don't have much of a choice in concluding that.
I wasn't disappointed and would highly recommend this book, not just for music lovers but also for those interested in illuminated thought and artistic growth through personal conceptual exploration. It's a very good book, certainly due to the strength of the author who could have been the kind of jazz critic Philip Larkin apparently was (whose extracts I read with naked horror), but there again if that were the case, I doubt he would have had the inclination to write a book like this in the first place. Like one of the reviews on the back says, the author is aware of the subjectivity in listening to music, and he gives a really fair, intelligent and unpretentious review of the various stages of JC's output, never placing himself above the subject matter - he saves his personal reaction for a moving and fitting coda.
The biographical information is seamlessly woven into social and cultural history and enriched with insights into the life and work of other musicians who preceded, accompanied or followed Coltrane. I also felt it helpful the author tried to burst a few jazz myths (for want of a better phrase) peddled by critics along the way, which helps to humanise the subject back to where (I feel) it belongs, i.e. in the realm of emotion. Also, along the way, I found several other books and albums to immerse myself in which is always a delight.
The two reasons the book didn't achieve a '5' score were firstly, because that may have been more a reflection of my feelings of the subject than the book as a work, and secondly because I thought the author's (albeit fairly brief) treatment of Sun Ra seemed unfair and narrow minded. In a book so open to exploring Coltrane's personal visions, it seemed a bit bizarre that the author couldn't extend the same appreciation to Sun Ra's personal and highly spiritual cosmology, as yet again he is practically written off as an eccentric (sigh).
Overall though, the naked beauty and passion of JC's quest which is so evident on record really shines through, but the presentation of the possibility of an inherent tension and danger in that process did make me think about the music in a different way, all of which created a somewhat chilling and undoubtedly addictive effect as I followed the star ascendant.
So whilst I found my love for this beautiful soul (being man and music in one) only expanded, the book stimulated my thoughts on my personal fear of pursuing artistic endeavour without safe-guards, and I find this uncovering of personal ambivalence a good thing...but then maybe I don't have much of a choice in concluding that.
December 18, 2014
The best book I have read on Coltrane...dives into the spirtual aspect that informed all of his work. Connects the dots between recordings, performances, relationships, drug use (initially for pain relief, later as mind expansion), and his search for new sounds and sound-forms from individual and group aesthetics. Nisenson illustrates Trane's need to access his spiritual quest on the wide landscape of his musical activity and sets this intense activity in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's (and the brutality of the McCarthy era that caused the movement to erupt), properly addressing Coltrane's interest in world music and adapting African-based aesthetics for inspiration and cultural identification.
While I'm writing about John Coltrane, I could should probably say that his work greatly inspired me as a young musician. Like many other young saxophonists, I listened to all of his recordings and studied them intensely, but it was always Trane's spiritual side that urged me to hold him in higher esteem than many of his contemporaries. Through him I learned that music is a very serious business, that it reflected everything about you and your relationship to creation, or the source of all things. I learned that you have to live right to play right, and to respect all aspects of creation.
While I'm writing about John Coltrane, I could should probably say that his work greatly inspired me as a young musician. Like many other young saxophonists, I listened to all of his recordings and studied them intensely, but it was always Trane's spiritual side that urged me to hold him in higher esteem than many of his contemporaries. Through him I learned that music is a very serious business, that it reflected everything about you and your relationship to creation, or the source of all things. I learned that you have to live right to play right, and to respect all aspects of creation.
August 12, 2016
Mentre leggevo questa biografia musicale mi sono riascoltato con orecchie nuove tutta la sua discografia in mio possesso e parte del resto in spotify. La storia umana e musicale di uno degli ultimi grandissimi e innovativi jazzisti raccontata da un fan (ma che livello di scrittura) riuscito a rimanere sufficientemente obiettivo e composto. Imperdibile per chi ama Trane e per chi voglia approfondirne la conoscenza
December 19, 2016
An incredible insight in his musical quest
October 17, 2012
Since I FINALLY got a job, my reading time has been drastically reduced, but I managed to finish this one a few days ago. This book was so informative! I learned a lot about jazz and the era in which Coltrane made/played his music. I also learned the great connection between the various jazz eras and how they relate to one another and how the culture relates to the music. I guess I just never thought of it in terms of jazz, since I am a rock n roller at heart. I was pleased to find out how many of the important Coltrane CDs (albums) I actually own, but now I have a list of what to get next as well! I was also glad to find out that my instincts about Coltrane's personality were on track: a gentle, shy, caring, generous, seeking soul is what he possessed and I think it comes through in his music, but also his features, which I was always drawn to. Nisenson is well-informed about his subject as well as jazz in general. I appreciated his fairly unbiased look at Coltrane-too many times he is exalted beyond any and all subjective criticisms that it's hard to believe what is being sad/written.
November 30, 2007
John Coltrane stands the pivitol jazz figure in the history of American music. Despite the innovation of Bird and the amazing records that Miles made, Trane revolutionized the genre in his writing and playing and in the process bridged the gap between the tehcnical proficiency of early 1960's post bop and the free noise music that would signal the end of an era. The amount of scholarship in this book is impressive and the focus on the late period of Coltrane's life including his mysticism and drug use illuminated the man's life for me. I will be reading this again.
March 5, 2015
Great book about Coltrane. I also read "John Coltrane: His Life and Music" and found it to be more in-depth towards his upbringing and life. This book is more about the spiritual and experimental aspects of his life.
For this books review on GoodReads... I have no idea who Salvo Ursari, or why there is a review about a Transylvanian tightrope walker for "Ascension". Probably bad indexing for same name book.
For this books review on GoodReads... I have no idea who Salvo Ursari, or why there is a review about a Transylvanian tightrope walker for "Ascension". Probably bad indexing for same name book.
May 8, 2015
Though it's true that writing about music is like dancing about architecture, when it's done well it's revelatory. Considering how much has already been written about Coltrane, Nisenson's throwing his hat in a big ring. But... it's really good. It sends you back to the music with a deeper sense of appreciation and excitement. When books can do that, I'm all for writing about music.
May 15, 2011
this book got way better at the end when the author started whinging about how shitty jazz became after Coltrane. It also had some great lines it, but the lines at the end were the best. I actually would say that I liked it a lot and I would read it again if I had never read it at all. Four Stars: Would Read Again if Had Never Read At All
December 31, 2014
John's music is actually easier to understand now after reading this book. His asides about other topics seemed off the mark, possibly undermining his credibility on the topic of Coltrane. But everything he says is corroborated elsewhere, so overall I found the book to be pretty great, and a good basis for revisiting my Coltrane collection over the past few months.
October 13, 2024
Thoroughly researched and deftly executed. Nisenson not only sheds light on the spiritual dimensions of Coltrane's musical quest, he also offers a wealth of insights, anecdotes, and theories about the shockingly brief history of American jazz. At times his prose is a bit repetitive, but I still loved this book, and learned so much. Coltrane's discography will be on repeat for a long, long time.
January 9, 2017
To summarize the author's thesis: John Coltrane's musical vision was animated by a spiritual quest that continually pushed him to evolve. I bought that thesis from the start, so I was engrossed in the way Nisenson detailed the changes in Coltrane's approach to music as his quest unfolded. I came away from the book with a renewed appreciation for every dimension of this musical vision, and with an understanding of the forces that pressured John Coltrane to shed his skin repeatedly, even when it was difficult.
The book's weakness is that if you don't accept that thesis easily, the information provided to back it up may not be enough to truly convince you.
The book's weakness is that if you don't accept that thesis easily, the information provided to back it up may not be enough to truly convince you.
May 5, 2010
I borrowed this book from the library because I want to learn Saxophone! It had a picture of a saxophone on it and I love Coltrane. I skipped around a bit in this book--something about biographies make it really easy to do that. I liked it a lot. If you're into jazz I would recommend this book highly. It's not ALL about Coltrane either. There is a lot of honorable mentions and it gives a good overview of his contemporaries
February 4, 2010
The spiritual side of Coltrane and his music come through in this bio... all written in context with the times he was living in, the civil rights struggles of the 60's,. etc... good work.
Read this again... originally read it probably 10 or more years ago... this was interesting, but certainly a Coltrane love fest by the author... though, i suppose, what's not to love?
Read this again... originally read it probably 10 or more years ago... this was interesting, but certainly a Coltrane love fest by the author... though, i suppose, what's not to love?
October 31, 2009
I love how the premise of the book was "we're not going to shy away from Coltrane's free period," and then what does the book do? Mutters and apologizes the whole way through the free period. Good job, you fucking knobs!
June 20, 2012
A fantastic guide to Coltrane, his music, and how his personal and spiritual quest influenced his musical development. Brings to life what many consider the most exciting period in contemporary jazz.
December 13, 2012
I should have kept iTunes open as I was reading this so I could follow the musical journey through all the albums that I don't own. Felt like I needed to be a musician to understand much of this book.
May 30, 2008
This is a great biography of Coltrane. It tells of his neverending quest to find god through music.
Read
March 14, 2011The only Coltrane biography I've read. The cat was a wilder!
May 14, 2020
"Non cercate di capire Coltrane troppo in fretta".
E' una citazione che viene ripetuta più volte in questa splendida biografia, che l'autore non ritiene neanche tale (citerò poi le sue parole). Merita cinque stelle per vie ufficiali, ne ho date quattro per il semplice motivo che, anche se ho una buona cultura musicale dovuta al fatto che sono succube dei vinili e generi musicali di mio padre e suono il basso -quindi la "base" per comprendere anche argomenti tecnici musicali c'è-, alcuni nomi o riferimenti a jazzisti del passato spesso mi portavano via via a perdermi perché a me sconosciuti, ma come sempre s'impara sempre qualcosa di nuovo ed è tutto di guadagnato.
Esperienza particolare, meglio ancora se (come scritto in altre recensioni) si ascolta passo passo i vari album e la sua crescita musicale e spirituale, soprattutto per la sua apertura mentale nei confronti della religione e di come vedeva in Albert Einstein un modello a cui ispirarsi.
Citando l'autore "Il lettore è avvertito: Anche se in questo libro saranno citati i fatti più importanti della vita di John Coltrane, non si tratta di una vera e propria biografia. Ascension è piuttosto un tentativo di comprendere le idee e le passioni sottese alla musica di Coltrane, una musica che persino i suoi detrattori ammettono fosse unica per l'intensità e gli effetti che produceva sia sugli ascoltatori sia sui colleghi musicisti.
E' anche un tentativo, forse forzato, certo complesso, di far uscire Coltrane dal ghetto culturale e intellettuale in cui di solito i musicisti jazz sono confinati, almeno nel loro paese d'origine, e di inserire la sua arte e il pensiero che la guidava nel contesto artistico, sociale e intellettuale del periodo storico in cui è vissuto".
October 13, 2018
"[...] the more one listens to Transition the more one hears a diamond-hard beauty unlike anything else in music. That something so roiling can also have such beauty is one of the paradoxes of Coltrane's art. A lot of great twentieth-century art, since it reflects its time, seems to confront and challenge its audience: Guernica, Finnegans Wake, The Rite of Spring. Like those modern masterpieces, much of Coltrane's work [...] has a modern grandeur unlike anything that has come before it.
Just last month I reviewed here Bill Cole's John Coltrane - a pseudo-research book full of New Age mumbo-jumbo and Fela Sowande's gibberish - which escaped the minimum rating on the strength of possibly interesting musicological analysis. Since I love John Coltrane's music and unreservedly admire what he stood for and what he tried to achieve in his art, I had to erase the anger caused by Mr. Cole's painful failure of a biography. In the ultimate contrast Eric Nisenson's work, Ascension. John Coltrane and His Quest is a totally wonderful book - deep, balanced, thoughtful, and focused.
I vividly remember the day (in 1966, I believe) when I first heard John Coltrane's music: I can see the room in my mother's small apartment when suddenly manic saxophone shrieks and wails came on the radio, immediately followed by utterly beautiful music. I remember my total fascination with the sound and with the raw power and deep passion of the music. Eric Nisenson begins his wonderful biography with an account how he first saw and heard John Coltrane live with his classic quartet (McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Jimmy Garrison) at the Half Note:
The passages about A Love Supreme are some of the most compelling writings about music:
Coltrane's personal statements about wanting to be a "force for good," his continual search for that perfect sound, and the fact that never in his career had he made any concession to popular taste or cared what the audiences wanted to listen to tell me that his quest was for the three Transcendentals: Goodness, Truth, and Beauty. Certainly not for things that we, mere mortals, crave: Money, Power, and Fame.
A great biography! I will round the rating up.
Four and half stars.
Just last month I reviewed here Bill Cole's John Coltrane - a pseudo-research book full of New Age mumbo-jumbo and Fela Sowande's gibberish - which escaped the minimum rating on the strength of possibly interesting musicological analysis. Since I love John Coltrane's music and unreservedly admire what he stood for and what he tried to achieve in his art, I had to erase the anger caused by Mr. Cole's painful failure of a biography. In the ultimate contrast Eric Nisenson's work, Ascension. John Coltrane and His Quest is a totally wonderful book - deep, balanced, thoughtful, and focused.
I vividly remember the day (in 1966, I believe) when I first heard John Coltrane's music: I can see the room in my mother's small apartment when suddenly manic saxophone shrieks and wails came on the radio, immediately followed by utterly beautiful music. I remember my total fascination with the sound and with the raw power and deep passion of the music. Eric Nisenson begins his wonderful biography with an account how he first saw and heard John Coltrane live with his classic quartet (McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Jimmy Garrison) at the Half Note:
"Coltrane [...] played roiling arpeggios alternating with ribbons of intense lyricism often accentuated by saxophone cries and wails. [...] He seemed to be not in this world, and I, as well as most of the audience, [...] felt we had long left it far behind, too. [...] My body felt exhilaration, transport, even as much as my mind and spirit."The story of Coltrane's life and his music is told traditionally, in a chronological manner. The author focuses in more detail on transcendent and timeless masterpieces in Coltrane's opus, such as A Love Supreme or Transition. Mr. Nisenson has the courage to call out failures as well, such as the audacious yet unsuccessful attempt to enter the realm of free jazz, Ascension or the bizarre artifact of the Sixties, Om.
The passages about A Love Supreme are some of the most compelling writings about music:
"[...] the last section on A Love Supreme [...] creates the impression of perfect stillness, like a man on his knees with his head bowed. It is utterly radiant and transcendent, at times pleading, almost sobbing in its need to be with God. It is one of the few works of art that, like the Sistine Chapel or Chartres Cathedral or Bach's St. Matthew's Passion is itself a religious experience."The subtitle of the biography refers to Coltrane's quest, which - as most music critics agree - was the "quest to reach and find God through seeking within." Yet the author is careful to explain that Coltrane was not worshipping any particular God but rather "a personal synthesis of [...] ideas basic to all religions," Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and others. Mr. Nisenson also points out that Coltrane's quest was more of spiritual than religious nature and that it might have been a search for the universal truth.
Coltrane's personal statements about wanting to be a "force for good," his continual search for that perfect sound, and the fact that never in his career had he made any concession to popular taste or cared what the audiences wanted to listen to tell me that his quest was for the three Transcendentals: Goodness, Truth, and Beauty. Certainly not for things that we, mere mortals, crave: Money, Power, and Fame.
A great biography! I will round the rating up.
Four and half stars.
February 25, 2019
This book is a bit lacking in focus and doesn't get deep into the biographical details of Coltrane's spirituality like one would expect from the title, but it was a decent read. The anecdotes were cool, and the author had interesting opinions when his head wasn't stuck up his ass. He was obviously very passionate about his subject matter, though. I can appreciate that.
January 28, 2019
Possibly the best single-subject music book I’ve ever read. This is a fascinating, richly observed walk through Coltrane’s incredibly dense career, with great care paid to the artist’s motivations — artistic, spiritual, and personal — as they evolved. It both demystifies Coltrane’s persona and does justice to the depth of his questing, all while taking him at his word and taking his music seriously. Very highly recommended.
April 12, 2020
An excellent read even if you can't distinguish your verticals from your horizontals and your lyricals from your modals. The most enlightening detail of the book for me was Nisenson's comparing Coltrane's late work to Finnegan's Wake - sometimes understanding a work completely is neither possible nor the point.
August 3, 2020
While there's a certain repetitiveness to this book (concepts and names are mentioned and re-mentioned without deep dives into their meanings and implications -- 'quest,' Einstein, 'the mind of God,' etc) I really did learn a lot about Coltrane and how he understood what he was doing with his music. I especially appreciated the appendix with recommended albums from various periods of his career.
August 2, 2018
A very good book which clearly demonstrates the author’s love of his subject. I learned lots and also went straight to iTunes and downloaded lots of new music to listen to as a result. The only reason for four stars is that I thought the ‘Post Trane’ section didn’t fully work for me.
October 14, 2020
This book had its ups and downs for me.
It got me to explore Coltrane's earlier work more than I had in the past, as well as Miles Davis' early works.
I learned a lot about Coltrane's early career I hadn't know because I had focused more on his later period.
However, as some reviewers pointed out its more apologetic about his later works and doesn't shine as much light on his later period stuff as I wish it had. Although, I did learn a lot about that period I hadn't previously known.
Also, although I had read about John's spiritual influences. I don't remember seeing Krishnamurti pop up in the past who is an interesting subject manner for me because he was meant to be the world teacher of Theosophy and ended up doing a completely different course. I also have a book of his I am more likely to pick up.
Also, the history was interesting for me tying "Then to Now" as last year I saw Pharoah Sanders perform and this year Archie Shepp and to see what they are doing now as a tie-in to how this book paints their 60's career around Coltrane is interesting to compare.
I didn't care for the fact that the end of the book (over 20 pages I believe?) Focused on the Authors opinions of Jazz after Coltrane passed away and I thought most of that could have been cut out. (I mostly skimmed through that section).
Overall I am glad I read it and didn't pay too much for the book. It was worth the good information in parts, if a bit frustrating to read in others.
It got me to explore Coltrane's earlier work more than I had in the past, as well as Miles Davis' early works.
I learned a lot about Coltrane's early career I hadn't know because I had focused more on his later period.
However, as some reviewers pointed out its more apologetic about his later works and doesn't shine as much light on his later period stuff as I wish it had. Although, I did learn a lot about that period I hadn't previously known.
Also, although I had read about John's spiritual influences. I don't remember seeing Krishnamurti pop up in the past who is an interesting subject manner for me because he was meant to be the world teacher of Theosophy and ended up doing a completely different course. I also have a book of his I am more likely to pick up.
Also, the history was interesting for me tying "Then to Now" as last year I saw Pharoah Sanders perform and this year Archie Shepp and to see what they are doing now as a tie-in to how this book paints their 60's career around Coltrane is interesting to compare.
I didn't care for the fact that the end of the book (over 20 pages I believe?) Focused on the Authors opinions of Jazz after Coltrane passed away and I thought most of that could have been cut out. (I mostly skimmed through that section).
Overall I am glad I read it and didn't pay too much for the book. It was worth the good information in parts, if a bit frustrating to read in others.
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