Born: 27 August 1937, United States
Died: 12 January 2007
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Swamini Turiyasangitananda, Svāminī Turīyasaṅgītānanda, Turiya, Alice McLeod
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Discover the mesmerizing journey of Alice Lucille Coltrane, a true luminary in both the world of American jazz and Hindu spirituality. As Svāminī Turīyasaṅgītānanda or simply Turiya, she wove a remarkable tapestry of artistry and enlightenment.
Imagine an accomplished pianist and one of jazz’s rare harpists. Coltrane’s musical legacy unfolded through numerous albums, starting in the late 1960s and early 1970s, etching her name with Impulse! and other revered record labels. She shared her melodies alongside her husband, jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane, during their 1966–1967 performances. Her music resonated as a beacon of spiritual jazz, casting influence far beyond the jazz universe.
Amidst the 1970s, Coltrane’s pace shifted as her dedication to religious education deepened. In 1975, she founded the Vedantic Center, followed by the serene Shanti Anantam ashram in California in 1983. Guiding as a spiritual director, she rededicated and inaugurated the land as Sai Anantam Ashram on July 3, 1994. In the 1980s and 1990s, Coltrane harmonized devotion and melody in albums of Hindu spiritual songs before her soulful return to spiritual jazz in the 2000s, culminating in the release of her final masterpiece, “Translinear Light,” in 2004. ️