Coltrane Documentary

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by rufus t firefly, Mar 17, 2017.

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  1. rufus t firefly

    rufus t firefly Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Arizona
  2. James Derdock

    James Derdock New Member

    Location:
    Annapolis, MD
    it's news to me. thanks for the heads up

    are there any other John Coltrane docs out there?
     
  3. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    I am looking forward to this. It will likely get me into a movie theater for the first time in over ten years.
     
  4. SirNoseDVoid

    SirNoseDVoid Forum Resident

    I really hope there's some concert footage I haven't seen already in there...
     
  5. major_works

    major_works This is my Custom Title

    Location:
    Ramsey, NJ, USA
    Long overdue is right. I'm looking forward to it.
     
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  6. mw1917

    mw1917 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    There were two from the VHS era: The Coltrane Legacy from 1985 included performances of the Quartet (and Quintet, with Dolphy), as well as interviews with Elvin Jones and Reggie Workman. The World According To John Coltrane, from 1990, has interviews with Rashied Ali, Tommy Flanagan, LaMonte Young, Alice Coltrane, and others, and talks a bit more about his post-Quartet work, It also includes color footage from his 1966 Newport appearance (silent and un-synced, unfortunately). I believe both videos are easily found on youtube.
     
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  7. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Thx for the heads up on this.
    Looks good.
     
  8. Zomvid

    Zomvid Delicate Genius

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    There's also one made by BBC called Saint John Coltrane, it's on youtube.
     
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  9. Trevor_Bartram

    Trevor_Bartram Senior Member

    Location:
    Boylston, MA, USA
    Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for this!
     
  10. Fletch

    Fletch Senior Member

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    Nowhere, man.
  11. mdr30

    mdr30 Forum Resident

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    Gothenburg, Sweden
  12. Jim B.

    Jim B. Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    The Coltrane Legacy was huge for me and jazz at the time, some wonderful TV appearance where they play the clips in full.
     
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  13. DeRosa

    DeRosa Vinyl Forever

    Three more radio ones I can think of are:
    "Tell Me How Long Trane's Been Gone",
    Produced by Steve Rowland, from 2001 in 5 parts, really awesome, please download it!
    https://www.artistowned.com/album_detail.cfm?artistid=159&albumid=53
    A few notes about it from this thread, where Steve posted,
    John Coltrane Tell Me How Long Trane's Been Gone broadcast

    "A Love Supreme" from the BBC
    DOCUMENTARY: John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (Broadcast 2004)

    and "Making A Love Supreme"
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2017
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  14. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    Really hope it won't contain all those Martin Scorsese clichés
     
  15. major_works

    major_works This is my Custom Title

    Location:
    Ramsey, NJ, USA
  16. GuidedByJonO)))

    GuidedByJonO))) Forum Resident

    Location:
    Evanston
    His rough years will feature a montage of photographs set to "Gimme Shelter". :biglaugh:

    I had the same thought for the Dead doc he executive produced.
     
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  17. Here's a list of screening dates and locations. Glad it'll be here in DC, week of April 28.

    http://www.coltranefilm.com/?page_id=1408

    Be sure to click "load more" down at the bottom, as there are a couple more that don't display by default the first time.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2017
  18. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    So, did anyone watch the documentary film?

    How is it?

    :wave:
     
  19. Sparkler

    Sparkler Senior Member

    Location:
    Leesburg, VA
    I saw it tonight. It's not a music or record geek's film -- no talk of record companies or scales and time signatures. It's about Coltrane the man - framed by a general biographical chronology and narrative. The talking heads are actually really great (I won't give away who they are, in case you haven't read) and their enthusiasm and love for the man and his music is palpable. I didn't see any concert footage that isn't already out there (the usual footage with Miles, Trane's quartet @ Antibes, etc.). However, there are loads of photographs and silent home videos that have heretofore been unreleased, and seeing that material is a real treat. Quite a few pictures of Coltrane smiling (imagine that!) and even cutting up a bit for the camera. It's a well done documentary that honors its subject respectfully. It doesn't go particularly deep in any direction but does a good job of portraying John Coltrane and exploring his motivations, mystique, creative muse and his lasting impact. With such a dearth of Coltrane material on the screen, it's a welcome sight to behold.

    As the credits were rolling, I heard one member of the couple sitting behind me say "I learned all sorts of things about him" to her fellow film-goer, and that was good enough for me!
     
  20. Trevor_Bartram

    Trevor_Bartram Senior Member

    Location:
    Boylston, MA, USA
    The Boston Globe review said there was too much Bill Clinton and Cornell West, that put me off going to see it, do you agree?
     
  21. rxcory

    rxcory proud jazz band/marching band parent

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Doesn't dissuade me in the least, I'm still really looking forward to seeing this.
     
  22. Sparkler

    Sparkler Senior Member

    Location:
    Leesburg, VA
    No, I don't have any aversion to those individuals so I don't agree that there's too much of them. Their commentary is welcome and on point and they appear frequently but pretty much equally on par with the other major "talking heads".
     
  23. Fender Relic

    Fender Relic Forum Resident

    Location:
    PennsylBama
    It would put me off but less than Springsteen and Bono the docu darlings.
     
  24. wildroot indigo

    wildroot indigo Forum Resident

    I thought it was great, very powerful. The introduction seemed almost like hagiography, but the movie gets better and better, with lots of deep and beautiful content, and ends strong.

    I'm guessing some complaints will cite omissions of music, but the documentary's about Coltrane the man and musician, more than about the music. I think that was wise, because to have tried for comprehensiveness in that area would have made it relatively incomprehensible.

    His major career influences are presented as Parker, Gillespie, Davis, and Monk... fair enough, I think. Dolphy fans could be disappointed (I don't think he's mentioned at all). The presence of Wynton Marsalis may spark disapproval from those predisposed to lament the absence of favorite items of emperor's new clothing (although there is excellent '66-'67 era material included).

    On a more personal level, comments from Coltrane's step-daughters I found heartfelt and moving. Some of my favorite elements--along with the soundtrack--were Sonny Rollins looking very much like Santa Claus, comments by Osaharu Fukushima and Yasuhiro Fujioka, and JC's New York home movies.

    One strange thing, I don't think Coltrane's voice is heard, though multiple taped interviews exist.
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2017
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  25. Sparkler

    Sparkler Senior Member

    Location:
    Leesburg, VA
    Agreed that Dolphy fans could have reason to be disappointed. There was no mention of Dolphy specifically that I recall though there were a couple photos with him on stage with Coltrane. There was also no mention of his collaborations with Albert Ayler and Pharaoh Sanders, which I thought was a shame.

    Wynton didn't bother me too much but he only appeared a couple times, as I recall, and not as much as the central interviewees.

    Yes, those home movies -- fantastic!

    I've heard the few interviews with Coltrane speaking but as I recall they are very poorly recorded and he also spoke very softly. Perhaps the poor quality of those few tapes precluded their inclusion?
     
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