![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakPfyZvJtpBOTATRfKMAAtfl7j4zZlJj2kltIPdwKPPGveQhZtF2-DtAa0trAfHYttWIRMfZSpy2hjgh8mplHU54J6WQjuLckEaKd6mmC13K7g3BS17HhU44ssGT25td0IcY/s400/Coltrane.jpg)
by Ben Ratliff // Picador
Cover photograph by © Rolf Ambor / ctsimages.com
Other Concepts:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwQl69AvmMo9fWCSb9UEv0bEC9DSh_4SSRSNmdQpBa-E2MALefCDWhrG9mrU1UI9fOLHw2pmR9dVByx-b9PqtazHf9KIP_U8DarpDFXPsTwyIuBhDqqNvgbSbNK2Pc0BX6uo/s200/Coltrane-01.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguY-afj0xnsGbwLDHDDgtI-8_l9bN2vIrPDGKF_hyphenhyphenEsLBazwDHreKuHMP_CKmxWHZx1tsKsfjp1zyY2XUlGVQOeYO73cSM6c1WCitTZ-NBjHz3nL7JUL2d2XYeIqwiVKC9uxs/s200/Coltrane-02.jpg)
The idea here was to depict John Coltrane as a sound wave. I thought these images were well-known enough to weather the abstraction. But for the final, we went with a stunning portrait that put the focus on his hand on the saxophone keys.
On the back cover, I printed Coltrane's Selmer Mark VI saxophone bell pattern as a subtle black on black background pattern:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmRJjeaYCDzlTY-l5QCxM6Cq6nA8odPdItM-ysNj2BrBC-nwACJhKfREEMh2WEcRrD9JxZ5BYEkVrrAIakjt7sd-ZoLoOLW_wbFxbNJ-wj41xaKpnv_jvPt9YX9I8Uyx0Hxc/s200/selmermkvifront.jpg)
Here's a collection of Blue Note: Over 1000 great jazz album covers.
Here's an awesome video of Miles Davis and John Coltrane performing
"So What" Live-New York, April 2, 1959:
I love observing the other musicians. When they're not busy performing, they're busy smoking.