Stuff You Gotta Watch: Alice Coltrane Black Journal Segment
Alice Coltrane Black Journal Segment (Directed by St. Claire Bourne; produced by National Educational Television)
This 16mm portrait of Alice Coltrane was filmed in 1970, three years after the death of her husband John. The presence of the jazz titan continued to loom large over Alice’s life at that time, which she shared with their four children in an idyllic Dix Hills, New York, home. As the harpist and pianist explained in a candid series of interviews, she did not wish to be defined as an extension of John’s music, but rather share it with his lingering spirit.
Following Alice through a series of vignettes, the 15-minute segment for the National Education Television program Black Journal presents her as both a passionate artist and compassionate parent. We see her strolling with her kids, cooking in concert with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drummer Rashied Ali, and practicing harp in a sequence that feels like the cover photo of A Monastic Trio come to life. The conversation that closes the moving mini-documentary includes Alice on the verge of a spiritual breakthrough, meditating for 20 hours straight to set her soul free forever.
Review by Jesse Locke. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.