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Ravi Coltrane
I went to see Ravi Coltrane Saturday (April 21) at the Williamstown (MA) Jazz Festival.
I wasn't sure what to expect, as I had not heard much, if any, of Ravi Coltrane's music as a leader.
He brought his main band to the Festival, which includes Drew Gress on bass, E.J. Strickland on drums and Luis Perdomo on piano -- an all star lineup.
The concert -- which was held in a 550 seat theater on the Williams College campus -- was sold out.
The festival director (I am assuming he was the fest director) who came out to introduce the group asked that "no one leave" in the middle of the concert because people had been turned away. I was worried for a bit that I might be arrested if I went to the john.
Coltrane immediately won over the audience when he came out and said -- "If you gotta go, you gotta go." Everyone cheered him.
The guy is really a study in grace and poise.
He played a 6-7 song set -- straight through -- no break.
What amazed me most about his playing -- and the group's playing -- was its discipline. Coltrane, who has significant chops, doesn't play an extra note.
Everything has meaning -- everything is part of the story he is telling.
Some of the tunes he played were his own, another was by the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, a fine writer and one of Coltrane's musical comrades.
The most striking -- and beautiful -- piece the group played Saturday night was a song written by Alice Coltrane and played in her honor.
It was a very emotional song that broke up into a cacophany of free squawking to find its way back into the shape of the ballad.
My ears aren't really acute enough to tell you who was the major influence on Ravi Coltrane, but I can tell you he is his own man. He has a distinct and, IMO, very valuable voice.
I get the impression that he is committed to playing with the best people he can find, and he isn't shy about letting his bandmates shine.
Strickland, in particular, is a huge talent. As someone who isn't overly fond of drum solos, I was surprised that Strickland had me on the edge of my seat.
The unit was very, very tight. Luis Perdomo was a joy. Gress very impressive.
But most impressive of all was Coltrane himself.
I am a fan now.
Last edited by rollhead; April-24th-2007 at 02:10 PM.
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From a mouldy figge about Ravi
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