I want to start out this blog by saying that John Coltrane is truly an animal when it comes to music. Most people do not quite realize just how difficult it is to play some of the music that he plays is really is. Jazz like this seems to be drastically underrated in modern times. Anyway, his song Blue Train creates a lot of imagery to the listener just as any similar literature would. Personally, what I see as a mental picture is a normal, everyday man walking out of his house and down the street into a big city. However, when the saxophone really begins to play, I start to see more of this man's personality. He is not just a boring, everyday man, but he enjoys the sights and sounds of the city life. As he walks down the city blocks, maybe he sees some bright flashing neon signs and things of that nature. The trumpet solo also depicts much of the same imagery to me, except it seems to be a little more laid back. I think the city scene is brought into my head because of the almost upbeat piano, drum, and bass rhythm in the background. As the piece goes on, a piano player has a solo. This, to me, is one of the most expressive parts of the piece. It creates many different sorts of feelings with its dynamic change and rising scales. The mental picture it creates for me is that the man from earlier in the song walks into some sort of bar or club. He is just sort of content in this place in which he has entered and it seems as if he has ordered a drink or something because of the tune the piano plays. Finally, as the song ends, it returns to the same rhythm and style as the beginning of the piece. For me, this tells me that the man's night is coming to a close, and he is returning home on the same street from which he began his night.
