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Alice Coltrane: Her Sound and Spirit

Kevin LeGendre presents a portrait of Alice Coltrane, who was a pianist, harpist, composer, improviser, bandleader and spiritual leader.

Kevin LeGendre presents a portrait of Alice Coltrane - pianist, harpist, composer, improviser, bandleader, and ultimately Vedantic spiritual leader. An extraordinary character and musician, she took an approach to life and to music that conceded no boundaries, and she deserves greater recognition.

Hearing testaments to her musicianship as well as her personal strength and powerful presence, LeGendre asks why her music isn't more widely known. She was greatly influenced by her husband John Coltrane, but has her musical contribution been overshadowed by his legacy?

Drawing on a wide range of influences from gospel to Stravinsky to Indian devotional music, and most often identified as a jazz musician, her music pushes the boundaries and defies conventional categorization. Kevin speaks to some of those who knew her best, including her son, Ravi Coltrane, sister Marilyn McLeod, and collaborators Carlos Santana and Reggie Workman, about the woman behind this singular musical voice.

Alice Coltrane's legacy is still evolving. As a younger generation of artists discover her music through reissues, and recordings of her previously unreleased devotional music come into circulation, her influence continues to spread far beyond the realms of jazz music.

Producer Laura Yogasundram.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Wed 1 Aug 2018 22:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Alice Coltrane

    Morning Worship (Eternity)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Warner Bros 47899.
    • 5.

  • Alice Coltrane

    Turiya (Huntington Ashram Monastery)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Impulse! 780946.
    • 2.

  • Alice Coltrane

    Altruvista (A Monastic Trio)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Impulse! 780946.
    • 9.

  • Dizzy Gillespie

    WoodyΒ’n You

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.

  • Trad.

    Vuloch

    Performer: Terry Gibbs, Alice Coltrane.
    • Verve 5896732.
    • 4.

  • John Coltrane

    Reverend King (Cosmic Music)

    Performer: John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Rashied Ali, Jimmy Garrison, Pharoah Sanders.
    • Impulse! 001582902.
    • 3.

  • Alice Coltrane

    Lord Help Me to Be (A Monastic Trio)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, Pharoah Sanders, Ben Riley.
    • Impulse! 780946.
    • 1.

  • Alice Coltrane

    Journey in Satchidinanda

    Performer: Alice Coltrane, Charlie Haden, Majid Shabazz.
    • Impulse! AAIMPD228.
    • 1.

  • Stravinsky arr. Alice Coltrane

    Spring Rounds from Rite of Spring (Eternity)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Warner Bros 47899.
    • 6.

  • Alice Coltrane

    Oh Allah (Universal Consciousness)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Impulse! 5895142.
    • 3.

  • Tom Coster, Carlos Santana, Alice Coltrane

    Illuminations

    Performer: Carlos Santana, Alice Coltrane.
    • Sony Music Distribution 821.
    • 5.

  • Tom Coster, Carlos Santana, Alice Coltrane

    Angel of Sunlight (Illuminations)

    Performer: Carlos Santana, Alice Coltrane.
    • Sony Music Distribution 821.
    • 4.

  • Alice Coltrane/Traditional

    Sitaram (Universal Consciousness)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Impulse! 5895142.
    • 5.

  • Trad.

    Sivaya

    Performer: Amirtha Kidambi.
    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ recording.

  • Traditional arr. Alice Coltrane

    Sivaya (Transcendence)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane.
    • Warner Bros 9362481832.
    • 4.

  • Trad.

    Walk With Me (Translinear Light)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane, James Genus, Jeff Tain Watts.
    • Verve 9861929.
    • 2.

  • Alice Coltrane

    Turiya and Ramakrishna (Ptah the El Daoud)

    Performer: Alice Coltrane, Ron Carter, Ben Riley.
    • Verve 9861929.
    • 2.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 5 Mar 2017 18:45
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Wed 1 Aug 2018 22:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Related Links

  • (thecoltranehome.org)