Walk into a specific storefront on Fillmore Street and the first thing you’ll notice isn't the smell of incense or the hush of a traditional pews-and-hymnals setup. It’s the wail. Specifically, the transcendent, multiphonic wail of a tenor saxophone. This is the Saint John Coltrane Church, an institution that has survived redevelopment, skyrocketing rents, and the skeptical side-eye of traditional theologians for over fifty years.
It’s loud. It’s colorful. Honestly, it’s a bit overwhelming if you’re expecting a quiet Sunday morning.
The walls are covered in Byzantine-style icons, but instead of just the usual biblical figures, you’re looking at John Coltrane holding a saxophone that is literally on fire. Gold leaf halos surround his head. This isn't some quirky fan club or a kitschy tourist trap. For the congregants here, John Coltrane isn't just a jazz musician who died in 1967. He is a vessel of the divine. He’s a saint.
The Wild Origin Story of the Coltrane Church in San Francisco
You can’t understand the Saint John Coltrane Church without understanding the 1960s in the Fillmore District. Back then, the neighborhood was the "Harlem of the West." Archbishop Franzo King and Reverend Mother Marina King didn't start out trying to found a new religion. They were just huge fans.
Everything changed in 1965.
Franzo King saw John Coltrane perform at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco. He describes it as a "sound baptism." It wasn't just music; it was a physical and spiritual reconfiguration of his entire world. When Coltrane released A Love Supreme later that year, the deal was sealed. The album wasn't just a hit. It was a roadmap for spiritual ascension.
The church originally began as the Yardbird Temple, named after Charlie Parker. But as the Kings delved deeper into the spiritual messaging of Coltrane’s later work—which moved away from standard bebop into a free-form, ecstatic exploration of God—the focus shifted. They eventually incorporated as the Church of Saint John Will-I-Am Coltrane.
They’ve been kicked out of more spaces than you’d think. San Francisco is a notoriously expensive place to keep a soul alive. They moved from Divisadero to West Bay Conference Center, and through various spots in the Fillmore, fighting the tide of gentrification that has systematically erased much of the Black cultural footprint in the city.
Is This Actually a Religion?
People get hung up on the "saint" part. Is it a cult? Is it just a jazz appreciation society?
Actually, they are officially recognized. The church is affiliated with the African Orthodox Church. This wasn't an easy win. The African Orthodox leadership was originally like, "You want to canonize a jazz player?" But the Kings argued that Coltrane’s life was a hagiography in itself—a man who overcame addiction to dedicate his final years to a singular, frantic pursuit of the Divine through sound.
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The theology is basically "A Love Supreme."
They use the album as a liturgy. If you go to a service, you’ll hear the "Coltrane Liturgy," where the notes of the saxophone are treated as sacred text. It’s a mix of African Orthodox tradition and what they call "Electronic Sound Meditation." Basically, they believe sound can reach places in the human spirit that words just can't touch.
The Iconography: Why Coltrane is Holding Fire
You’ve probably seen the posters. The artwork in the Saint John Coltrane Church is world-famous. These icons were largely painted by Mark Dukes.
In these paintings, Coltrane is depicted in the traditional style of Eastern Orthodox saints. He wears robes. He holds a scroll. But the scroll usually has lyrics from A Love Supreme or quotes about the "oneness" of God. Flames leap from the bell of his horn.
This visual language serves a very specific purpose. It bridges the gap between the ancient and the modern. It says that holiness isn't something that stopped happening 2,000 years ago in the Middle East. It says that a Black man from Hamlet, North Carolina, who struggled with heroin and eventually found God in the vibrates of a reed, is just as much a messenger of the infinite as anyone else.
What a Sunday Service Actually Feels Like
Forget the quiet organ music.
A service at the Saint John Coltrane Church is a marathon. It can last three, four, five hours. It’s built around a "meditative jam session." Musicians bring their horns, their drums, their voices. They play A Love Supreme in its entirety, but they don't just mimic the record. They use it as a launching pad.
It’s sweaty. It’s intense.
You’ll see tourists who wandered in off the street sitting next to people who have been attending for forty years. There’s a specific energy in the room—a "controlled chaos." The Archbishop might be playing the sax while preaching about social justice, the housing crisis in San Francisco, and the cosmic importance of the "om" sound.
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Honestly, even if you aren't religious, the sheer musicality of it is staggering. You’re witnessing a level of improvisation that most jazz clubs can't even dream of, mostly because the stakes are different. They aren't playing for tips. They are playing for salvation.
The Battle Against Gentrification
We have to talk about the location. The Fillmore District has been decimated by "urban renewal."
In the 60s and 70s, the city used eminent domain to tear down thousands of Victorian homes and displace Black families. The Saint John Coltrane Church has been one of the few standing witnesses to this history. Their presence on Fillmore Street is an act of resistance.
They’ve faced massive rent hikes. In 2016, they were nearly evicted from their space on Fillmore. The community rallied. People like Carlos Santana have supported them. They eventually found a new spot, but the threat of being priced out is always there. It’s a bit ironic—a church dedicated to the universal "Love Supreme" being squeezed by the very localized reality of real estate greed.
Why Coltrane? Why Not Miles or Monk?
People often ask why Coltrane was the one chosen for this level of veneration.
It’s about the 1957 spiritual awakening. Before '57, Coltrane was a great player, but he was struggling. He got fired by Miles Davis for being too high to play. Then, he had a radical experience. He quit cold turkey. He locked himself in a room and came out changed.
From that point on, his music became increasingly "out." While Miles Davis was moving toward the cool and the commercial, Coltrane was moving toward the sun. His late-period albums like Ascension or Interstellar Space are hard to listen to for some people because they don't follow "rules." They follow spirit.
The church recognizes this specific trajectory—from the depths of human struggle to the heights of spiritual clarity—as the classic path of a saint.
Common Misconceptions About the Church
- It’s just for musicians. Nope. While musicians love it, the congregation is made up of everyday people, activists, and seekers.
- They worship John Coltrane as God. This is a big one they have to correct constantly. They don't worship Coltrane. They worship God through the example and music of Coltrane. He’s the "intercessor," not the deity.
- It’s a hippie thing. While it fits the "weird San Francisco" vibe, the church is actually quite disciplined. They have a formal liturgy and a deep commitment to the African Orthodox tradition.
How to Visit and What to Know
If you’re planning to visit the Saint John Coltrane Church, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
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First, check their schedule online or on their social media. Because they’ve had to move and adapt, their hours can sometimes shift. Currently, they are located at 2097 Turk Blvd (though they spent years on Fillmore).
Don't just show up for ten minutes, take a selfie, and leave. It’s disrespectful. Stay for the music. Participate in the "A Love Supreme" chant.
They also do incredible community work. They have a food program. They’ve been involved in social justice movements for decades. If you go, bring a few bucks for the collection plate—not for the "show," but to keep one of the last true pieces of San Francisco’s soul from being turned into another high-end boutique.
The Future of the Jazz Church
The Kings are getting older. The city is getting more expensive.
The survival of the Saint John Coltrane Church depends on a new generation of "sound seekers." There is a growing movement of people who are tired of traditional, stagnant religious structures but still crave a deep, communal spiritual experience. Jazz provides that.
The church is currently working on archiving their history and digitizing their unique liturgy. They are trying to ensure that when the "sound baptism" happens, it’s recorded for posterity.
Actionable Steps for the Curious
If you're intrigued by the intersection of jazz and divinity, don't just read about it.
- Listen with Intent: Sit down and listen to A Love Supreme from start to finish. No phone. No distractions. Read the liner notes—they are actually a poem written by Coltrane to God.
- Visit the Turk Boulevard Location: Go to a Sunday service. It usually starts around 12:00 PM. Be prepared for a long afternoon.
- Support the Iconography: Look up the work of Mark Dukes and the specific "Coltrane Icons." The church often sells prints and books that explain the symbolism behind the art.
- Advocate for Cultural Landmarks: The church is part of the "African American Cultural District" in San Francisco. Support local legislation that protects these spaces from predatory development.
The Saint John Coltrane Church is a reminder that San Francisco used to be a place where the weird and the holy sat at the same table. It still is, if you know where to look. It’s a place where the saxophone is a prayer book and every note is an attempt to touch the face of the infinite.
Whether you call it jazz, religion, or just a really long jam session, it’s undeniably real. In a city that’s increasingly feeling like a simulation of its former self, that reality is worth preserving.