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JAZZ LEGEND JOHN COLTRANE
Few
dispute that John Coltrane was the greatest jazz
saxophonist that the world has seen. He was known for
his lush tone and masterful control of the upper
register. His incredible coordination allowed him to
play the tones of chords in such rapid succession that
they were referred to as “Coltrane’s sheets of sound.”
Coltrane was innovative in his use of improvisation and
arrhythmic music. There was no doubt that his childhood
in High Point allowed his creative spirit to thrive.
John
Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina, on
September 23, 1926. His family moved to High Point when
he was only 3 months old. Coltrane spent the first 17
years of his life in High Point at 118 Underhill Street.
While at William Penn High School, he began playing the
saxophone.
Coltrane moved to Philadelphia in 1943, where he studied
music and made his professional debut. He moved from
band to band, appearing with jazz greats such as Dizzy
Gillespie, Earl Bostic, and Thelonious Monk.
Although he gained recognition while playing with Miles
Davis from 1955 to 1960, Coltrane quickly developed a
devoted following when he formed his own quartet in
1960. Named “Jazzman of the Year” in 1965 by local and
international critics, John Coltrane was just reaching
his prime when he died July 17, 1967, at age 40, in
Huntington, New York.
Coltrane’s High Point Childhood
John Coltrane’s
family moved to High Point in 1926 when he was still an
infant. He lived together with his maternal
grandparents, his own parents, and sometimes his
cousin’s family. His grandfather, Rev. W. W. Blair, was
a presiding elder of the AME Zion church, and his father
was a tailor. Coltrane’s childhood was typical of many
African American children in High Point. He experienced
the limitations of living with segregation as well as
the closeness of High Point’s African American
community.
Coltrane showed his academic potential at Leonard Street
School. Among his classmates, Coltrane was known as a
shy boy who was neat as well as a sharp dresser.
Classmate, Rosetta Haywood recalled that John “was
smart, and had a mischievous streak, but never got
caught – he was so good and laughed at everything, that
other people got in trouble, but not him.” Both
Coltrane and his cousin, Mary Lyerly, were at the top of
their class and participated in additional activities
such as school plays and May Day festivals. In the
seventh grade, Coltrane became a School Patrol Boy,
helping other students navigate the difficult gully
created with the recent lowering of the train tracks.
During his free time, he enjoyed roller-skating with one
of his friends Franklin Brower.
 Coltrane’s situation changed drastically in the winter
of 1938 - 1939 when his grandfather and father died
within weeks of each other. After the death of his
uncle in 1940, Coltane’s mother and aunt took work at
the Emerywood Country Club to support the family.
During this period without a lot of adult supervision,
Coltrane found opportunities to explore the new sounds
of jazz.
In
1939 Coltrane joined Warren B. Steele’s community band,
starting out on alto horn and later moving to clarinet.
The success of the community band inspired William Penn
principal Samuel Burford to start a school band in
1940. Coltrane joined as a founding member of the
school band under the direction of Grayce W. Yokely.
Later, Coltrane developed an interest in the saxophone,
practicing with Charlie Haygood, a restaurant owner on
Washington Street. By his senior year, Coltrane’s
musical talents earned him the vote of “most musical.”
He also earned a lyre for his participation with the
Boys’ Chorus.
At the
time Coltrane graduated from William Penn in 1943, there
were few economic opportunities open to young African
Americans. By this time, Coltrane’s mother had left
High Point for work in Philadelphia. After graduating,
Coltrane followed his mother north and started
additional training on the saxophone. Although Coltrane
visited friends a couple of times, he never returned to
High Point after 1945.
John Coltrane Statue in Downtown High
Point
A statue honoring one of High
Point's most acclaimed citizens now has a permanent home
in downtown High Point.
 The statue honors Jazz musician John
Coltrane. Known internationally for his unique genre and
style, Coltrane was raised on Underhill Street in High
Point and attended William Penn High School. Before and
after his death in 1967, Coltrane served as a mentor and
inspiration to many famous Jazz artists.
In order to properly recognize such a
significant citizen of High Point, the Downtown
Improvement Committee, with assistance from the High
Point Museum, began working on the John Coltrane
Statue project two years ago.
Thomas Jay Warren, of Oregon, was hired
to sculpt the eight foot tall bronze likeness of
Coltrane, which is planned for the landscaped area in
the northeast corner of City Hall property at the
intersection of Commerce Avenue and Hamilton Street.
Funding for the John Coltrane statue came
through grants from the Downtown Improvement Committee,
the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau, the High
Point Museum, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners
and the High Point Community Foundation as well as
private.
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