Chasin' the Trane

I bought this book for the plane and it was perfect. An easy read. It seems that all the basics of his life and lifestyle are there, but not very much about the music. I don't have a problem with that because that subject could easily fill a few books. This book is not divided into any chapters and has a stream-of-conscious feel to it. Makes for a nice read but sometimes his lead-ins to new topics can be kind of jarring. It's also not very detailed, a bit uneven at points, and he does go off on some tangents but otherwise it's a nice, basic introduction to the life of John Coltrane.

This book is excellent all around, giving good background on John Coltrane's life, discussions of many of his albums, quotes from people who either played with Coltrane or were otherwise part of his life. There's a good discography, although so much new material has been issued since the book has come out, it's become rather patchy and dated. Thomas is a good writer (terrific for a music writer) but sometimes gets way off on tangents. That's my only criticism. But you get a good sense of the man, his music, his influence on other musicians, and his place in history. You can't ask for much more than that in a rock bio.

Think of this as the cliff notes edition of the life of John Coltrane. An alternate title could be "I Remember Trane." The book moves quickly over the first part of his life and concentrates mostly on his recording years. The early struggling years that were characterized by drugs is glossed over and pretty much picks up in ernest with his quiting in 1957. The best parts of this easy to read book are the lines attributed to his friends or those that knew him. The insights are clearly evident throughout the book as it is filled with little known tid bits as shared by people who crossed paths with the man. It seems everyone had an opinion or crossed paths with Trane. There are studio recollections, club dates, both on and off stage memories, diary excerpts but most of all reflections on the part of fellow musicians. Some of the encounters are remarkeable, like the time Gato Barbieri, the Argentine saxophonist, met him backstage in Europe and saw the sax case he had sent Coltrane. Coltrane exclaimed "you're from Argentina" and was unaware that Gato was the man who had sent the monographed leather case. The personal recollections make this a memorable book and a quick reference point for further and more detailed reading. The pictures are minimal but historically worthy. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in Coltrane and would like to get some quick and easy insights into the legendary sax great. This is Coltrane 1A, there is ample room for further knowledge, beginning with his music.

This biography of John Coltrane is the best book ever written about someone. This book gives you information about his childhood, his teen years, his life on the road when he was performing with various bands, and this book gives you 2-20 line paragraphs written by John's friends or people who new him very well. This book is a must if you are a musician and wondering about jazz history, or if you are a Coltrane fan. Buy it today.

This book is not a scholarly monograph. It does not contain much in the way of music criticism. It is simply an entertaining documentary-style portrayal of one of the greatest American musicians of all time. That is not necessarily an argument the author is trying to make. You sense that he is one of the greats, in terms of his impact, by seeing what Coltrane's cohorts and colleagues say about him. Thomas connects the testimonies in an extremely fluid manner, with good prose, and plenty of context. I believe the book portrays well what Coltrane means to people as a person and artist.