Coltrane 100

Celebrating the Centenary of John Coltrane

Cankarjev dom Music Coltrane 100

Running time: 90 minutes

Joe Lovano, saxophone; Melissa Aldana, saxophone; Nduduzo Makhathini, piano; Linda May Oh, bass; Jeff »Tain« Watts, drums

When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.
John Coltrane

Starting a sentence in the middle, and then going to the beginning and the end at the same time… both directions at once.
John Coltrane according to Wayne Shorter

On the centenary of the birth of the legendary saxophonist, composer, and activist John Coltrane, a new project was born that brings together a lineup of creative musicians and embodies Coltrane’s message of inclusivity and respect for all voices.

All the artists involved in the project share a personal connection to John Coltrane or his music. The group is led by Grammy-winning artist and one of the most acclaimed saxophonists in modern jazz, Joe Lovano, for whom Coltrane’s music is a guiding light, akin to a holy grail. Lovano is joined by the irrepressible young force Melissa Aldana, raised in Chile on Coltrane’s music and today personifying a contemporary voice with a distinctive narrative identity, while maintaining a deep respect for the jazz canon; South African pianist of remarkable musical and spiritual breadth, Nduduzo Makhathini, whose discovery of John Coltrane’s seminal album A Love Supreme played a formative role in inspiring his love for jazz; Linda May Han Oh, a bassist and composer whose oeuvre spans music written for small ensembles, orchestras, and film – created in the post Coltrane tradition, her work draws on a modal, expressive, and exploratory language informed by his musical corpus; and finally, noted authority on drums Jeff "Tain" Watts, whose connection to Coltrane’s enduring legacy is reflected in numerous collaborations with musicians from his extended “orbit,” including performances with ensembles led by Alice and Ravi Coltrane.

The assembled group of innovative artists will present contemporary interpretations of John Coltrane’s classic works from various periods of his career, alongside original compositions inspired by his monumental musical legacy. As Joe Lovano has stated, “This quintet will honor Coltrane’s compositions as a springboard to explore and express ourselves. We do not seek to recreate, but rather to create in the spirit of Coltrane.”

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