Coltrane was key figure for New Age music
Widow of John Coltrane dies at 69
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Coltrane, who died in West Hills, Calif., of respiratory failure, was noted for bringing the harp into the jazz fold. Her work, solo and in the band of her husband, was known for its spiritual qualities and she became a key figure in the early days of New Age music.
Born Alice McLeod in Detroit, she studied clasical music as a youth.
After high school, she played for a number of touring choirs in Detroit.
She moved to New York and worked as a bebop pianist.
In 1963, she met John Coltrane, who died at the age of 40 in 1967.
Alice replaced McCoy Tyner in the Coltrane quartet after their marriage and the music they played together was known for its free construction and visceral power.
The two had four children together and after his death, she recorded and toured sporadically. Her last jazz album, "Translinear Light," was released in 2004 and she had a spiritual album slated for release next month.
"Translinear" was her first jazz recording in more than a quarter of a century.
Since the early 1970s, Coltrane had devoted herself to Hinduism. She founded Vedantic Center, a spiritual commune now located in Agoura Hills, Calif., and was the swami of a Hindu temple in Chatsworth, Calif.
Known by her Sanskrit name, Turiyasangitananda, Coltrane composed and recorded devotional music for meditation. She also wrote books.
In 2001 she helped found the John Coltrane Foundation for young musicians.
In the fall, she returned to touring as a jazz performer with her son Ravi. Health issues forced a shortening of the tour.
Besides Ravi, a saxophonist, she is survived by a son, Oran, who plays guitar and alto sax; a daughter, Michelle, who is a singer; two sisters and five grandchildren.
Her son John Coltrane Jr. died in an automobile accident in 1982.
