< Back to Intervals Index INTERVALS #3 Feb 21 2006 TRANE'S HOME: The following is self explanatory describing recent efforts to save the Coltrane home in Long Island, New York: There is a house located in the suburban sprawl just east of N.Y.C. In the mid-sixties this modest structure was the home of jazz legend, John Coltrane and his family.This is the place he chose to start a family and seek the tranquility he required in order to write much of his late material. Remarkably, the now abandoned house, is in much the same condition it was in when the Coltrane's lived there. It contains the same kitchen and fixtures, the same bathrooms and fixtures, the same wood paneling throughout and even retains details as the carpeting from the Coltrane era. The basement, which housed the Coltrane studio, is in much the same condition from the sixties and the second story dormered room where Coltrane disappeared into for 5 days in the fall of 1964 and emerged with all the material for "A Love Supreme" can still be seen. In January of 2004, it was discovered that the home was slated for demolition in an effort to clear the land and build luxury homes. The township was made aware of the home's historical significance and the home was eventually awarded landmark status. Late last year, the home was purchased and is safely in the hands of The Friends of the Coltrane Home, a grass roots organization whose intent it is to fully restore the home and open it to the public. With the help of the Coltrane family, visiting the home will one day be both an educational and inspirational experience. Visitors will be able to come and experience the environment that helped forge some great American music. Currently, the overgrown property is being cleared and transformed to its original condition. What is needed at this point are the funds to fully restore the home from top to bottom and prepare it for a public opening. Coltrane has given so much to us through his music for many years, we feel that now it is our opportunity to give something back in order to help keep his legacy alive for future generations. We encourage everyone, musicians and music lovers to step forward at this time and help us in this inspirational and historic project. For further information please go to the official website: dix hills Website. For everyone wishing to help monetarily, we are a non profit organization and all donations are fully tax deductible. All contributions can be made out to: Huntington Historical Society / Coltrane and mailed to: Friends of the Coltrane Home Huntington Historical Society P.O. Box 395 Deer Park, New York 11729 Thanks, John Coltelli jc187@earthlink.net COMMENT(S) AMERICAN IDEA:From an editorial appearing in the Atlantic Monthly Magazine(highly recommended), for a change, a positive outlook on some aspects of America: What is the American idea? It is the fractious, maddening approach to the conduct of human affairs that values equality despite its elusiveness, that values democracy despite its debasement, that values pluralism despite its messiness, that values the institutions of civic culture despite their flaws, and that values public life as something higher and greater than the sum of all our private lives. BABY BOOMERS:I am the first of the so-called Baby Boomer generation who will enter their sixth decade this year and as people are prone to do as they age, assessing one period of history gets some attention. The following is actually from an advertisement for a book titled The Greater Generation by Leonard Steinhorn (haven't read it yet) which I think has some merit: The Greatest Generation gets credit for winning World War II and braving the Depression. But the Baby Boomers? All they get credit for is knowing how to order a tall skim double latte. Consider the following: Farewell, Donna Reed: For women, the Baby Boom era has been one of breathtaking change in a single generation, American women have effected the greatest social metamorphoses in recorded history. So long, Archie Bunker: The egalitarian norms of the Baby Boom have deeply changed men and will continue to do so for generations to come. Diversity as a moral value: Boomers have led a culture war to upend the rigid social structure of the Fifties and challenge centuries of entrenched norms about race, ethnicity, religion and sexuality. The Greening of America: Under Boomers, environmental protection has become a powerful new norm in American society. No longer do we tolerate toxic run-offs and progress at any cost. A freer, more open society: Personal freedom, tolerance, openness, transparency and equality these are the values of the Baby Boom era, and we live them daily at home, work, school and in our many relationships. The media have it wrong!! You don't have to fight a war to be a great generation. America today is far more open, inclusive and equal that at any time in our history and Boomers are the foot soldiers who made it happen. WORLD PEACE:Again from the Atlantic Monthly, some heartening statistics: Newspaper headlines not withstanding, a new study from the Canada based Human Security Center suggests that the world is less violent now than it has ever been in recent memory. The numbers of ongoing conflicts is 40 percent lower now than in 1992, and the number of deadly conflicts-defined as wars leading to 1000 or more combat deaths is 80 percent lower. The number of military coups and attempted coups was 60 percent lower in 2004 than in 1963. And the annual number of victims of genocide and mass killings fell by 80 percent from 1989 to 2001, even taking such places as Bosnia and Rwanda into account. The exception to this generally positive trend, of course, is terrorism. To explain the overall decline in violence, the report cites the end of the Cold War and the proxy conflicts that it fueled in developing nations; the end of the often bloody process of decolonization; and UN diplomacy, sanctions and peacekeeping missions. PASSINGS RAY BARRETTO: This gentleman besides a fine conga player, responsible for bringing a jazz influence into Latin music. Though it was an inevitable combination, it took someone of his stature and depth to break with the tradition and actually bring off what is a true fusion of styles. UPCOMING PERFORMANCES IN NEW YORK CITY:(check local listings for specific dates, etc.) Kitano Hotel-with Jim Snidero Quartet 55 Bar - Different But The Same-Ellery Eskelin, Tony Marino and Nasheet Waites Till next time Peace Lieb