You walk down Fillmore Street in San Francisco and you expect to hear the usual city sounds. Traffic. Chatter. Maybe a distant siren. But if you’re near a specific storefront, you might hear something that sounds like heaven or a hurricane, depending on your ears. That’s the sound of A Love Supreme. It isn't just jazz here; it’s liturgy.
The Church of John Coltrane—formally known as the Saint John Will-I-Am Coltrane African Orthodox Church—is one of those rare American institutions that defies every box you try to put it in. It’s not a fan club. It’s not a gimmick. Honestly, it’s a living, breathing testament to the idea that art can actually save a soul. Some people think it’s just a group of hipsters worshipping a saxophone player. They’re wrong. This is a deeply rooted, canonical religious institution that sees John Coltrane not as a God, but as a vessel. A medium. A way to find the divine through a flurry of notes that Coltrane himself called "spiritual electricity."
The Moment the Music Became a Mission
It all started in 1965. Founders Archbishop Franco King and Mother Marina King went to see Coltrane play at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco. Now, they weren't just looking for a good night out. They were looking for something deeper. Archbishop King often describes that night as a "sound baptism." It wasn't just a concert; it was an encounter with something that transcended the physical.
Coltrane was in the middle of his late-period transformation. He’d moved past the "sheets of sound" and the bebop standards into something far more volatile and searching. When the Kings heard him, they didn't just hear jazz; they heard a prayer. They realized that if music could do that to a person—if it could strip away the ego and leave you raw before the universe—then it belonged in the sanctuary.
Why John Coltrane?
You might wonder why Coltrane? Why not Miles Davis? Why not Duke Ellington?
Basically, it comes down to A Love Supreme. In 1964, Coltrane locked himself in a room for five days. He came out with a suite of music that was essentially a written contract with God. He’d struggled with heroin and alcohol addiction years earlier, and he felt his recovery was a divine gift. The liner notes of that album are a letter of thanks. For the Church of John Coltrane, that album is their primary text. It’s their Genesis and their Revelation.
Coltrane once said he wanted to be a force for good. He wanted to give people "the essence of that which is within." The church takes that literally. They aren't just listening to the records; they are participating in the "Global Heartbeat."
The African Orthodox Connection
It’s important to understand the legal and theological backbone here. This isn't just a storefront operation with no oversight. In the early 80s, the church officially joined the African Orthodox Church. This gave them a formal structure and a lineage. It also led to the canonization of John Coltrane as a saint.
In their iconography, Coltrane is depicted in the Byzantine style. He’s holding his tenor saxophone, and flames are coming out of the bell. It looks wild to some, but to the congregants, it makes perfect sense. If a prophet is someone who speaks for God, and Coltrane’s music speaks of divine love, then the math works out.
The church has faced eviction. They’ve faced skepticism. They’ve been moved from space to space in a gentrifying San Francisco. Yet, they remain. They represent a specific kind of Black radical spirituality that refuses to separate the secular from the sacred.
The Sound of the Service
If you ever get the chance to attend a service at the Church of John Coltrane, leave your expectations at the door. It’s not a quiet, contemplative sit-in-the-pew-and-shush kind of vibe.
It’s loud.
The liturgy incorporates the saxophone. The "Coltrane Liturgy" uses the melodies and rhythms of A Love Supreme as the framework for the Eucharist. You’ll see the Archbishop himself pick up a horn. You’ll hear drums that rattle your ribcage. It’s a sensory experience that forces you into the present moment. You can't think about your taxes or your grocery list when a five-piece band is wailing through "Acknowledgment."
The congregants aren't just "jazz fans." They are people looking for a way to connect with the divine that feels honest to their experience. In a world that often feels fragmented, this music provides a sense of unity.
Misconceptions and Legal Battles
One of the biggest things people get wrong is the idea that they worship Coltrane as God. Archbishop King has spent decades correcting this. They worship God. They use Coltrane’s music as the method of worship. It’s a subtle but massive distinction.
Then there’s the legal side. The Coltrane family, specifically Alice Coltrane (an incredible musician and spiritual leader in her own right) and later the estate, had a complicated relationship with the church. There were trademark disputes. There were questions about using the name. For a while, things were tense.
Eventually, the church had to pivot slightly in its branding, but the mission never changed. They aren't trying to make money off Coltrane’s name. Most of the time, they are struggling just to keep the lights on and the rent paid. This is a labor of love, plain and simple.
The Cultural Impact of the Saint John Will-I-Am Coltrane Church
You can see the influence of this church in modern music and social movements. From Kamasi Washington’s epic compositions to the way jazz is used as a tool for social justice today, the DNA of the Coltrane Church is everywhere. They paved the way for the idea that "free jazz"—which many people find chaotic—is actually a form of liberation.
- Community Support: They’ve historically provided food programs and community outreach.
- Artistic Sanctuary: Musicians from all over the world stop by to pay respects.
- Historical Preservation: They keep the spiritual intent of 1960s jazz alive in a way a museum never could.
How to Engage with the Legacy
If you’re interested in what the Church of John Coltrane represents, you don't necessarily have to fly to San Francisco, though you should if you can. You can start by listening differently.
Don't just put on A Love Supreme as background music while you wash dishes. Sit down. Turn it up. Read the poem Coltrane wrote for the album. Try to match the words to the notes he plays in the final movement. You’ll start to hear what the Kings heard in 1965. You’ll hear the struggle, the surrender, and the eventual peace.
The church is currently located at 2097 Turk Street in San Francisco. They’ve been through the ringer with rising real estate costs, but their resilience is part of the story. It’s a reminder that culture isn't something that just happens in the past; it’s something you have to fight for every single day.
Practical Steps for the Curious
If you want to support or learn more about this unique intersection of faith and music, here is what you can actually do:
- Visit or Stream: Check their official website for service times. During many periods, they have offered ways to tune in virtually, especially since the pandemic shifts.
- Read the Primary Text: Get a physical copy of A Love Supreme and read the liner notes. They are the "scripture" of the movement.
- Support the Institution: The church is a non-profit. They often run fundraisers to help with their building costs. If you value the preservation of this kind of "outlier" culture, consider a donation.
- Explore the African Orthodox Church: To understand the "why" behind their structure, look into the history of the African Orthodox Church and its role in Black empowerment and self-determination.
- Listen to the Late Period: Move beyond "My Favorite Things." Listen to Meditations or Interstellar Space. It’s challenging music, but it’s where the "spiritual electricity" is at its highest voltage.
The Church of John Coltrane isn't going anywhere as long as there are people who believe that a saxophone can reach higher than a steeple. It’s a testament to the power of a single person’s artistic vision to create a community that lasts for generations. It reminds us that sometimes, the most profound truths aren't found in a book, but in the space between two notes.