Paging N.C. jazz fans

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Coltrane piano might jazz up High Point museum

The Associated Press

HIGH POINT -- The High Point Museum is asking residents to help buy a piano owned and played by jazz legend John Coltrane, who spent his youth in High Point.

The museum is looking for 88 contributors to purchase each of the piano's keys for $162.50 to raise the $14,300 needed to bring the piano home.

The piano would be displayed in the museum with other Coltrane memorabilia.

"When someone of that caliber, who should be a household name in jazz, having something like that coming back to the community is very exciting," said Wally West, musical director of the John Coltrane Jazz Workshop, a weeklong music camp the High Point Area Arts Council created about three years ago. "This will put High Point on the map much more than for just its furniture."

The piano was originally sold to another bidder for $10,000 at an auction in February, said Chuck Alt, chairman of the High Point Museum and Historical Society board of directors.

That deal fell through, and the museum was offered the chance to buy the piano at the same price, he said. The museum also needs $1,800 for the buyer's premium, $1,500 for shipping and $1,000 to redesign a space in the museum.

The piano once sat in Coltrane's family home in High Point. The piano left High Point for Philadelphia when Coltrane's jazz career took off.

Coltrane's cousin, Mary Alexander, who lived with the jazz musician for a time in Philadelphia, sent the piano to the auction house. Coltrane died in 1967.

Museum officials say they hope to raise the money needed to purchase the piano by May 16. If they can't raise enough money through contributions, museum officials plan to borrow from reserves to buy it.

"The [museum] board is committed to making it happen," Taylor said. "We're sitting on money raised for collections. We don't spend the money lightly, but we thought we might not be able to purchase some of the items belonging to Coltrane again."

Coltrane grew up in High Point and got his musical start at the William Penn High School. A jazz saxophonist in the late '40s, '50s and '60s, he fathered some of the most innovative styles and techniques in jazz music. When Coltrane left the community, much of his early history went with him.

A sign along Centennial Street in High Point claims the furniture city as Coltrane's hometown and is one of the few public tributes to Coltrane's ties to the area.

"We have so very few items belonging to John Coltrane in High Point," said Barbara Taylor, director of the High Point Museum. "This may be one of the most significant items we can purchase to represent Coltrane's life in High Point."

Two months ago, the museum spent $19,558 to buy three pieces of John Coltrane history: a fifth-grade report written by Coltrane; three pieces of sheet music with composition notes from the musician; and a 1961 award from the magazine Down Beat.

[John L]

I wonder if they will sell me a piece of the sidewalk that Coltrane walked on in his youth for less than $500?