Many local organizations are stepping up their efforts to host John Coltrane-themed activities in honor of the 10th Annual John Coltrane Jazz & Blues Festival, which took place at Oak Hollow Festival Park in High Point area over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-5, and is now in its 10th year.
According to Nancy Bowman, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Coltrane Festival, the events were created to allow attendees to continue their Coltrane experience after the festival ends. According to Bowman, “Because 2021 will be a watershed year for the Coltrane Festival, it was critical to highlight Coltrane and his ties to not only music but to High Point, where he discovered his love for jazz and his musical aptitude,” he says.
This exhibition, A Love Supreme: The Jazz of John Coltrane through the Eyes of Chuck Stewart, was brought to the High Point Museum as a result of a collaboration between Visit High Point and the High Point Museum and Visit North Carolina. The show, which was curated by the GRAMMY Museum, complements the High Point Museum’s own collection of items from Coltrane’s life and career.
It felt appropriate to hold this exhibition during the festival’s 10th anniversary year, so that attendees might learn more about the festival’s namesake. Hostility to the show was alleviated with funds from the DRIVE High Point Foundation and the High Point Historical Society, which made it possible. An opening reception was held in conjunction with the Coltrane Festival to celebrate the exhibition’s debut.
Take the Coltrane at Gallery on Main HP will feature a photographic trip through the history of the Coltrane Festival, which will be on display through September. Artist Rhonda “Rhen” Neal and her collection of Coltrane memorabilia are also highlighted. It’s a thrill to see an exhibit that honors the devoted visitors who, in their own way, contribute to the overall Coltrane experience.
During the festival’s weekend, guests had the opportunity to take a tour of Coltrane’s childhood home. All year long, visitors are welcome to pay a visit to the 8-foot bronzed Coltrane Statue and Marker, which is located at the intersection of Commerce Avenue and Hamilton Street, as well as his high school, William Penn, which is now known as Penn-Griffin, which is located at 825 East Washington Street.
Museum of Old Domestic Life
High Point Tree Removal