Ravi Coltrane | |
|---|---|
 Coltrane in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1965-08-06)August 6, 1965 (age 60) Long Island, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, record producer |
| Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone,soprano saxophone,clarinet |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | RCA,Savoy,Blue Note,ECM |
| Website | ravicoltrane |
Ravi Coltrane (born August 6, 1965) is an Americanjazz saxophonist. Co-owner of the record label RKM Music, he has produced music for pianistLuis Perdomo, guitaristDavid Gilmore, and trumpeterRalph Alessi.[1]
Ravi Coltrane is the son of saxophonistJohn Coltrane and jazz harpistAlice Coltrane. He is the second born of John and Alice Coltrane's three children; his siblings are John Jr. and Oran. Alice had a daughter Michelle prior to her union with John Coltrane.[2] He is a first cousin once removed of experimental music producer Steven Ellison, akaFlying Lotus. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, and was named aftersitar playerRavi Shankar. Ravi Coltrane was less than two years old in 1967 when his father died.
He is a 1983 graduate ofEl Camino Real High School inWoodland Hills, California. In 1986, he studied music, concentrating on saxophone at theCalifornia Institute of the Arts. He has worked often withSteve Coleman, a significant influence on Coltrane's musical conception. Coltrane has also played withGeri Allen,Kenny Barron,McCoy Tyner,Pharoah Sanders,Herbie Hancock,Carlos Santana,Stanley Clarke,Chick Corea, andBranford Marsalis.
In 1997, after performing on over thirty recordings as a sideman, Coltrane recordedMoving Pictures, his first album as leader, working with drummerJeff "Tain" Watts, bassistLonnie Plaxico, and pianistMichael Cain. This led to touring with his working band, featuring Andy Milne on piano, drummerSteve Hass, and bassist Lonnie Plaxico. Coltrane's second album,From the Round Box (2000), was recorded with pianistGeri Allen, trumpeterRalph Alessi, bassistJames Genus, and drummerEric Harland.Mad 6 (2002), Coltrane's first album for Sony, featured drummerSteve Hass, pianistGeorge Colligan, and bassist James Genus.In Flux (2005) included bassistDrew Gress, pianistLuis Perdomo, and drummer E. J. Strickland.
In January 2005, Coltrane performed in India for the first time as part of a delegation of American jazz musicians sent on a State Department tour to promoteHIV/AIDS awareness.[3] Also participating were vocalistAl Jarreau, guitaristEarl Klugh, and pianistGeorge Duke. Performances included a January 16 concert inMumbai (Bombay), a tribute toMartin Luther King Jr. inDelhi on January 17, and a music festival in Delhi on January 18 organized by violinistL. Subramaniam. Also on January 18, Coltrane performed at the Coltrane Shankar Centre, where Coltrane met with the man he was named after. Picking up a clarinet to engage in an unplanned jam session with a pair ofshehnai players, Coltrane said, "I'm a little nervous with the master here."[4]
The Coltrane Quartet played at theMonterey Jazz Festival in 2001 and 2013, theMontreux Jazz Festival and theNewport Jazz Festival in 2004, and theVienna Jazz Festival in 2005.
In 2008, Coltrane became part ofthe Blue Note 7, a septet formed that year in honor of the 70th anniversary ofBlue Note Records. The group recorded an album in 2008 entitledMosaic, which was released in 2009 by Blue Note/EMI, and toured the United States to promote the album from January to April 2009.[5] The group plays the music of Blue Note Records from various artists, with arrangements by members of the band andRenee Rosnes.
In 2013, he performed at the Village Vanguard.[6] In 2016 he traveled to Australia to play at the opening of Bird's Basement, the first international section ofBirdland.[7] The following year he would return to Australia during September to play at The Basement in Sydney and again at Bird's Basement in Melbourne. During his second visit, the quartet consisted of himself, Johnathan Blake,Glenn Zaleski, andDezron Douglas.[8]
Ravi Coltrane was born on August 6, 1965, on Long Island, New York and was named after the Indiansitarist and composerRavi Shankar.[9] After the death of John Coltrane in 1967, Alice Coltrane moved the family to Los Angeles. At a young age Ravi was sensitive and shy. He took an interest in photography and film and sought to pursue a career in one of the two.[10] He started playing clarinet but switched to the saxophone in high school.
Tragedy struck the family again in 1982 when his older brother John Coltrane Jr. died in a car accident at the age of 17.[11] This event had a profound effect on Ravi and he dropped out of school. Despite the trauma his brother's death caused him, it led him to rediscover his musical origins and influenced his decision to study music. He went on to enroll at theCalifornia Institute of the Arts in 1986 where he continued to study music. While struggling to play, he graduated and then moved to an apartment with rehearsal space adjacent to a commercial space in Queens in 1991. From there he collaborated as an apprentice with Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Wallace Roney, Joanne Brackeen, and Steve Coleman.
In 1991 while playing with Elvin Jones, Coltrane met Kathleen Hennessy, manager of the Regattabar.[12] They married in 1999 and have two sons, William and Aaron. Coltrane lives inBrooklyn, New York and is the Chairman of The Coltrane Home, an organization dedicated to preserving the museum and research center based in John and Alice Coltrane's home in Dix Hills, Long Island.[13]
WithThe Blue Note 7
With Grand Central
With Saxophone Summit
WithRalph Alessi
WithRashied Ali
WithCindy Blackman
WithJames Carney
WithBilly Childs
WithSteve Coleman
WithScott Colley
WithAlice Coltrane
WithArt Davis
WithJack DeJohnette
WithDave Douglas
WithFlying Lotus
WithDavid Gilmore
WithElvin Jones
WithRyan Kisor
WithBheki Mseleku
WithTisziji Muñoz
WithDavid Murray
WithLuis Perdomo
WithWallace Roney
WithYosuke Yamashita
WithBrandee Younger
WithGlenn Zaleski
With Jason Palmer
