John Coltrane's Only British Tour in 1961

Britain’s Musicians' Union found the 1950s difficult, with the rise of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the growth of outside musicians coming to play in Britain. By the early 60s an agreement had been reached with the US that an equivalent number of touring American and British musicians could play in each country. Most headline US Jazz artists up to that point had used local musicians, and the live exposure to ‘modern’ Jazz artists was limited. Through the 60s and beyond, Britain was still problematic for outside artists due to the (then) power of the MU. Having said that, the MU was sometimes a force for good. For example, in 1961 the MU boycotted the entire Mecca Circuit for the Bradford Mecca Locarno’s policy of refusing admission to single black males.

Norman Granz had been running JATP European tours since 1952, featuring top US jazz artists. Earlier in 1960 Miles Davis had visited Britain, so it missed out on Miles' famous JATP tour of Europe with Trane later in 1960. Granz organised another for 1961, and this time there were British dates before other European countries. The Dizzy Gillespie Quintet was the headline, accompanied by the John Coltrane Quintet. The British leg of the tour started in London, heading out for five dates before returning to London on Friday 17th November for two shows at the Walthamstow Granada Theatre.

British Tour Programme

As described in a previous blog entry John Coltrane in 1961, the Glasgow concert on the 13th in the St Andrew's Halls, had an ‘interesting’ encounter which made the local paper. A Gillespie fan, unhappy with the ‘modern’ sounds of Coltrane made his way out for a few drinks. When he returned, he approached Coltrane side stage to complain about the music and Elvin Jones' playing. Scottish Jazz guitarist Jim Douglas knew someone at the concert, but they hadn't remembered any drunken behaviour, nor had any other comments, except the power of Trane’s Quintet. Glasgow was also notable, I guess, as the place that Trane purchased a small bodied Guild guitar. 

Steve Gray remembers the Walthamstow show. “Yes it was November 1961. 17th, I know it was a Friday. Walthamstow Granada, London. So just a couple of weeks after "Live At The Village Vanguard" was recorded. I was 14.

JATP Tour Programme

I went with a school friend and an aunt of mine took us. Quite what she made of it I don't know, she certainly wasn't a jazz fan.
I had been to see a few English Trad bands before this but this was my first "real" jazz concert.
Coltrane, Dolphy, Tyner, Workman and Elvin opened for the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet - Dizzy, Leo Wright, Lalo Schifrin, Bob Cunningham, Mel Lewis (I think).
It was the first house, I had to get home early :). I was sitting in one of the first few rows, close to the middle so I had a perfect view.
The band were all wearing DJs as was normal at the time.
They played three tunes, the last of which was "My Favorite Things". The first was probably "Impressions" but you have to remember that it had not been released at that time so we did not know what the tunes were called. There were no announcements.
My clearest memory is of the very prominent vein and lump on Eric's forehead. There are not many pictures of Eric that show this clearly but in the flesh it was very obvious.
The whole band was so thrilling, overpowering live. I can still picture in my head the view I had of John and Eric.

Granada Theatre, Walthamstow

Dizzy was tame and underwhelming in comparison.
I hope this is of some interest. It was a long time ago so my memory is not as good as it used to be.”

Listen to Live at the Village Vanguard or Impressions (or Trane's Modes with Eric Dolphy and Reggie Workman) to hear what this amazing group would have sounded like.

The Quintet had a mixed reception in the music press, with for example ‘Coltrane’s music didn’t make any too easy listening’, from the Leicester concert, or ‘The inane ramblings of John Coltrane at the Kilburn concert.’

St Andrew's Halls, Glasgow

Coltrane never returned to the UK, but he mentioned at the time in an interview he would like to return and play the ‘clubs’. The JATP tour venues were a mixture of ‘Halls’, which were very formal (classical concert) designed old venues, or some larger cinemas, which also held concerts.

There is another blog entry with a published letter from the guy who had accosted Trane at the Glasgow concert Coltrane Audience Trouble in Glasgow

The Coltrane Quintet at the Gaumont Theatre in Kilburn

Site of Walthamstow Granada Theatre

References : Coltrane on Coltrane, The John Coltrane Reference, Getty Images, University of Glasgow