What a difference a day makes!

04/25/2012 20:18:00

What a difference a day makes! Philadelphia Jazz Day 2012 at the John Coltrane House has made an enormous difference for our organization – giving us a huge boost in visibility and support. We thank the jazz musicians, jazz organizations, and the officials from the city of Philadelphia who made the Jazz Day event possible and successful.

Since April 13, activity on our website has zoomed. The John Coltrane House has had numerous inquiries, offers of support, some donations and a number of people pledging to donate when their finances permit.

All money donated will be used to make badly needed repairs, starting with the brick balustrade supporting the front porch. All donations will be acknowledged and progress reports made regularly.

We are heartened and encouraged by those who have reached out to us. Because John Coltrane’s music means so much to so many people, we are confident that we will realize our vision to restore and share with the world his beautiful National Landmark Philadelphia house.

NOW, THIS IS A HOUSE!

12/04/2011 18:51:00

NOW, THIS IS A HOUSE!

A few weeks ago I took a friend through the John Coltrane House. Like most everyone else, once inside the residence, she was enchanted. It is a very beautiful place. She noted the antique tile floor and walls of the entrance way, glass door knobs on all the doors, kitchen pantry, back staircase, large built in wooden wardrobes in the front bedrooms, ten foot ceilings. The house has an aspect and dignity of an earlier, more formal time and exudes “atmosphere.” There are six bedrooms, four large and two smaller, and two full baths. When we finished the tour, she said, “Now, this is a house!”

When preservationists from the Preservation Alliance and the National Park Service tour the building they are equally ecstatic about the interior condition of the house. For them the glass is much more than half full. The house does need work, but all of the building’s original interior features are still here, the same as when John Coltrane lived here and when it was built in 1904.

The John Coltrane House tangibly locates the Coltrane legacy in the city of Philadelphia. The house is the stuff of legend, where a giant in music took his first giant steps toward completely changing the landscape of contemporary jazz. It is the house where the greatest epiphany and greatest personal victory of Coltrane’s life occurred. In 1957, in this house, Coltrane went through the agony of “cold turkey” freeing himself of heroin addiction. The experience entirely altered his outlook on life. Coltrane always attributed winning his battle with heroin as a divinely aided transcendent experience.

As my friend said after her tour of 1511 North Thirty-third Street:

NOW, THIS IS A HOUSE!

Please help us restore and secure the house that is the central location of the Coltrane legacy. See the How You Can Help Page and DONATE.

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What a difference a day makes!

NOW, THIS IS A HOUSE!