Saturday’s performance of the Alice Coltrane Quartet was a once in a lifetime event. The concert was carried out as commemoration and tribute to John Coltrane on what would have been his 80th birthday. This one-night-only event showcased the talents of Pianist Alice Coltrane, wife of the late John Coltrane; their son Ravi Coltrane on Tenor Sax, as well as living legends Roy Haynes on Drum Set and Charlie Haden on String Bass.Playing to a sold-out-house, The quartet played in a style marked and inspired the oud, the drone instrument so prevalent in the music of Indian Sitar master Ravi Shankar, a long term friend of the late Coltrane. The lyric fluidity of Alice Coltrane’s playing mixed with the mellow beauty of her son’s sax was a stirring homage to the partner and father that was taken from them tragically in 1967. Accompanying the performance was a tribute film to John Coltrane offering insight to the innovations that Coltrane made musically and socially, as his art was at the apex of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s.
Backstage, I was able to interface with the quartet. Alice and Ravi were extremely nice and humble people. Ravi and I had a great conversation about improvisatory music, as senior Noah Reitman talked shop with fellow bassist, Charlie Haden. Following the show Alice and Ravi were greeted by close to 30 family members from the Detroit area, Alice’s childhood home. “This is great!” remarked Emily Avers, a UMS Production Staff member as she stood back to see the large group regaling old family memories, while Producer Mark Jacobson snapped photos of the unforgettable homecoming. School of Music junior Melissa Gardiner, who was the recipient of the John Coltrane Scholarship, was given the opportunity to play her trombone in concert with the group during their Hill debut. When I asked her what the experience was like she said: “It was the most amazing thing, my heart is still pounding.” Check out more Jazz offerings this UMS Season at www.ums.org
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