Patti Smith and Carlos Santana Featured in John Coltrane Book

A new publication titled Coltrane: The Definitive Visual Celebration of the Legend is set for release on September 1. Edited by John Coltrane’s son, Ravi Coltrane, the centenary book pairs photography of the late saxophonist with essays from various artists reflecting on his lasting impact on music.

John Coltrane jazz saxophonist — John Coltrane, Photo: Hugo van Gelderen (Anefo), licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Alongside contributions from Patti Smith and Carlos Santana, the volume features essays by Wayne Coyne, Dev Hynes, Phil Lesh, and Julie Mehretu. The collection examines Coltrane’s influence across landmark albums such as Blue Train, Giant Steps, A Love Supreme, and Ascension, decades after the musician’s death in 1967 at age 40.

Carlos Santana live guitar — Carlos Santana, Photo: Derzsi Elekes Andor, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In her contribution, Patti Smith reflects on listening to Coltrane as a religious experience and how his music resonated with her through different periods of her life. Carlos Santana’s essay details his initial, overwhelming reaction to hearing A Love Supreme during the turbulent 1960s, describing how he reconciled the calm expression on the album’s cover with the intensity of the music.

Patti Smith live concert — Patti Smith, Photo: Conall from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“The first time I heard ‘A Love Supreme,’ it was really an assault on my senses,” Santana writes in the book’s excerpt. “It could’ve been in another language, from another galaxy. The first thing that moved me was Coltrane’s volume and intensity. It fit the times we were living in as the 1960s had a very present, violent darkness that came from the Vietnam War, the riots, social unrest, and assassinations.”

Santana also notes how Coltrane’s approach to balancing accessible melodies with complex explorations influenced his own career trajectory, pointing to his ability to transition between crowd-pleasing numbers and deep musical explorations.