5 FAMOUS DEATHS ON THE ROAD TO "STRANGE DAYS" (PART 3)

This third article in the series about the five famous deaths that occurred during the recording of the Doors' second album, "Strange Days" (released in September 1967), is about a great artist.

He passed away on 17 July 1967, aged 40, while the "Strange Days" sessions were already in full swing. We are talking about the renowned jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.

The Doors' connection to Coltrane is highlighted by the band's incorporation of several of his instrumental ideas into their songs, particularly in the early stages of their career. These include Robby Krieger's electric guitar solo on "Light My Fire" and his solo on "When the Music's Over" (included as the closing track on "Strange Days").

Coltrane was a respected and beloved figure among the members of the Californian group, who were captivated by him and felt his influence in both the studio and at concerts.

The artistic journey of this genius can be divided into three phases. Setting aside his musical apprenticeship in rhythm and blues bands in the early 1950s, the first phase is characterized by the hard bop style of jazz.

This period of the saxophonist's career spans from 1955 to 1959. During this period, he played exclusively the tenor saxophone, and his style was already unmistakable. An example of this is "Rise and Shine" (link here), recorded in March 1958 with other excellent musicians.

During this period, Coltrane developed the tenor saxophone style known as the "sheet of sound", an overwhelming cascade of notes produced by his instrument in a highly engaging and immediate way.

The second phase, which runs from 1960 to 1964, sees the transition to the more sophisticated terrain of modal jazz. In this context, we highlight the track "Acknowledgement" from the LP "A Love Supreme" (link here) recorded in December 1964.

He also began using the soprano saxophone in his improvisations and established a permanent quartet with three other renowned jazz musicians.

The final phase, from 1965 until his death in July 1967, saw him experimenting without any formal restrictions, venturing into the realm of free jazz. We have chosen the piece "Sun Ship" (link here), recorded in August 1965 and taken from the posthumous album of the same name, to illustrate this period.

In conclusion, John Coltrane was a milestone in the history of jazz and music in general. He was also an admired musical icon and a significant inspiration for The Doors.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, .uk, .mx, .it, etc.

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”