Triad Music Festival Celebrates John Coltrane

Triad Music Festival Celebrates John Coltrane

August 31, 2011 | David Ford

Saxophonist John Coltrane sits among the likes of Charlies Parker and Miles Davis as one of the most influential musicians in the history of jazz. While his impact on the art form continues strongly to this day, most people around the world and many in the Piedmont Triad do not realize that his boyhood home was High Point, North Carolina.

High Point City Councilwoman Bernita Sims is a member of Friends of John Coltrane. This weekend, her organization is combining forces with the High Point are Arts Council and the annual John Coltrane International Jazz & Blues Workshop to share the Coltrane legacy with the broader public.

WFDD's David Ford spoke with Sims about this year's festival - and her own deep appreciation for Coltrane's art.