When Coltrane passed in 1967, Japan felt his death as keenly as the West. The extensive tour, just the year before in 1966, had been transitional for many Japanese musicians and fans. It was his only visit to the country, and during his late free period. The visit had a profound effect on John and Alice, Pharoah and the other American musicians too. A memorial compilation album was issued pretty quickly after his death, nicely produced with a wonderful cover shot of Trane perfoming in-country. I'd wanted to know for a while what had been said in the liner notes, had OCR translated them a while back, not perfectly for sure. So just tried to make the best interpretation I could, but still being true to the original. The famous Coltrane quote from the Japan tour of wanting to become a saint, may actually have been said in jest. But it didn't stop the creation of the California Church ! Notes “Saint Coltrane" Jazz giant John Coltrane passed away on July 17th (1967), aged 40,...
Jamo Spingal