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Friends of John Coltrane, a nonprofit group, are seeking volunteers to help with planning the inaugural John Coltrane Jazz and Blues Festival, which will be Sept. 3, 2011.

Barbara Taylor, a member of the group, said a festival honoring John Coltrane is the next logical step for the group. They’ve already erected a statue and information kiosk about the musician in the city.

“John Coltrane grew up here. He learned his craft here,” she said. “People quietly come to High Point and seek out where did he live, what was his life like and, in many ways, High Point has not celebrated (him).”

There’s the two out-of-state businessmen attending a meeting in Burlington who drove to the High Point Museum to see the display on Coltrane. They were disappointed at the small exhibit, Taylor said. She was museum director at the time.

Then there was the musician who slept in his car outside of Coltrane’s former home. “People are passionate,” she said of Coltrane and his continuing influence. The festival “could be a huge draw to High Point,” she said.

To host the concert, the nonprofit knows it’ll need a lot of help. From planning, publicity, recruitment of entertainment and scheduling, to logistics. The group will also need a lot of help on the day of the festival, which will be held at Oak Hollow Festival Park.

The group has hosted a variety of smaller events with other organizations to raise awareness. Taylor said the events have been great opportunities to gather names and contact information of future volunteers and donors.

Taylor said the group may meet twice a month, and committees may meet more frequently to plan the festival.

The first festival will be one day, but the nonprofit would like to expand it into a two-day affair in the future.

“We deliberately chose Labor Day Weekend because it’s a three-day weekend, and it gives people time to drive home,” Taylor said.

The group would like raise enough money through the festival to donate to students or musicians, maybe music programs at local universities. They’ve also considered helping the city renovate the old Coltrane house on Underhill Street.

“We’re optimistic we can be successful and help the city,” Taylor said.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241, or elizabeth. seagraves@news-record.com