All That Jazz

I am writing to correct some false impressions that were given in your article on Coltrane.

First, Coltrane was not stranded by Earl Bostic in California, as he had already given his two weeks’ notice, which terminated when we arrived in New York City, thus putting him 90 miles from his hometown of Philadelphia.

Second, to the best of my knowledge--and I was certainly with him, since I was playing trumpet in Bostic’s band and Trane and I were frequently roommates--he was not using hard drugs in 1952.

JOE MITCHELL

Los Angeles