SAXOPHONIST RAVI COLTRANE’S TRIBUTE CONCERT FOR HIS PARENTS DIDN’T FEEL MUCH LIKE ONE

Ravi Coltrane

 Over a decade ago, I interviewed the saxophonist Ravi Coltrane for the weekly newspaper the Metro Times. Coltrane, back then, was established with several solid records on the market and a stint with the great Elvin Jones on his resume’. During our talk, I asked Coltrane why he hadn’t recorded his parent’s music, particularly his father’s John Coltrane. Ravi said he had the utmost respect for their music and that the best way to honor their legacies was never to emulate them. Sunday evening at the Paradise Jazz Series in Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, as I listened to Ravi’s band play some of his parent's signature compositions, I wondered what made him change his mind about dealing with their works. The concert was a double bill featuring vocalist Thana Alexa. Ravi’s set was billed as a tribute to John and Alice Coltrane, but It didn’t come off much like one. Ravi's set began late because the pianist Cyrus Chestnut was a last-minute addition. The series organizers invited Chestnut back to perform a 30-minute set to make up for his concert in December being interrupted by some mentally ill bigot who shouted a racial slur. Chestnut returning to perform four compositions didn’t make sense. He rushed through the set as if he didn’t want to be there. Ravi hit the stage at 10:00 pm after an esoteric set from Alexa. Ravi never talked much about his parents or gave any historical information about what inspired their music or if he had a seminal connection to the compositions his band performed. His blowing on“Turiya and Ramakrishna” and “Er Ra” was celestial and on, “Ole’” and “Wise One” Ravi's sounded worldly and aggressive. I attribute the concert’s highlights to the terrific harpist Brandee Younger. During her solos, Younger seemed hellbent on channeling Alice Coltrane’s spirit. Overall, the tribute came off as if Ravi didn’t have a vested interest in his parent's music.