Mondo Jazz

EQUINOX

Oggi è il compleanno di John Coltrane; avrebbe compiuto 88 anni (23 settembre 1926, Hamlet, Carolina del nord), e contemporaneamente ricorre l'equinozio d'autunno. 

Una coincidenza, visto che Equinox è una composizione di Trane, un blues in chiave minore con una introduzione latineggiante. Ecco cosa scrive Lewis Porter nel suo libro  John Coltrane, his life and his music a proposito del brano:

The relentless underpinning of the piano and bass, contrasting with the leisurely, uncrowded melody, creates an ominous, primeval atmosphere…. Over this background Coltrane invents an astounding improvisation that builds and builds, then winds down again before Tyner solos. He starts simply, poignantly, building to faster and faster notes with each chorus, and to higher and higher notes. Each of his eight choruses (after the two theme choruses) has its own characteristic motive – furthermore, there is a logical development of motives from one chorus to the next…. Coltrane is sounding like a preacher, building to a higher and higher pitch (literally) as he exhorts his audience.