Remembering John Coltrane
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Remembering John Coltrane
John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina in 1926. He only lived in North Carolina for a few years. After his grandparents and father died within a few months of each other, he relocated with his mother to Philadelphia.
John Coltrane began his illustrious career in the 1950’s with two high list associations; Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Coltrane played with Miles Davis’ band until around 1960, when he began to lead more and more dates as a leader.
In 1962, Coltrane formed the classic ‘Coltrane Quartet’ consisting of McCoy Tyner (piano), Elvin Jones (drums), and Jimmy Garrison (bass). The conception of this group also coincides with Coltrane’s music taking on a more and more spiritual angle. This group recorded some of Coltrane's most famous and encompassing works such as ‘A Love Supreme’. After the classic quartet disbanded, Coltrane pushed further and further outwards, testing the boundaries of improvised music. He would add another saxophonist, Pharoh Sanders, and also frequently collaborated with his second wife, Alice Coltrane.
To honor the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane's birth (September 23, 1926), the Coltrane Estate launched "Coltrane 100," a year-long global celebration. The milestone features the legendary release of the "Tiberi Tapes" live recordings via Impulse! Records and historic public openings of the Dix Hills and Philadelphia Coltrane homes. The centennial highlights a massive schedule of catalog reissues, symphonic performances, and tribute concerts worldwide.
Write about Coltrane or a poem inspired by his music
Deadline: September 13, 2026
VIRTUAL PROGRAM: TBD
Submission Guidelines: Write one poem for our Remembering John Coltrane anthology for 2026.
Keep this poem limited to 35 lines total. When determining the total line length for each poem, include spaces between stanza (ex: a poem of 5 couplets would equal 14 lines). Numbers or section breaks should also be included as lines when calculating the total line length. Count an epigraph as 3 extra lines. A line that has more than 60 characters (including spaces and punctuation) should be counted as two lines. If lines are staggered like a Ferlinghetti poem, estimate the width of the line.
The final book will be printed in 11 point Garamond font on pages that are 4.5 inches wide. Poems with lines longer than 4.5 inches may be changed or denied due to printing constraints.
For questions or inquiries, please email Larry Robin at larry@moonstoneartscenter.com