● Acclaimed saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Ravi Coltrane presents a concert exploring the groundbreaking, spiritual jazz of his parents, John and Alice Coltrane 

● A masterclass for UAE musicians with Ravi Coltrane adds a new chapter to the history of jazz in the nation

● Access high-res images and videos on the artist here 

 

Abu Dhabi, September 29, 2022: The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will host Ravi Coltrane performing a concert titled Cosmic Music: A Contemporary Exploration of the Music of John and Alice Coltrane on Thursday, October 6 at 7:30pm in The Red Theater.

 

The Grammy nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer explores the groundbreaking, mystical, and spiritual jazz of his parents, John and Alice Coltrane. The evening-length concert explores these legendary musicians’ pioneering work. He is joined on stage by his ensemble: Gadi Lehavi on piano, Rashaan Carter on bass, and Elé Howell on drums.

 

A masterclass with Ravi Coltrane will also be held on Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30pm. Selected participants will have the rare opportunity to work directly with Ravi Coltrane, learning some of the skills and techniques that make him a master. The event is also open to observers who wish to listen to the conversation and learn the structures of modern and contemporary jazz with one of today’s legends.

 

Executive Artistic Director at NYUAD Arts Center Bill Bragin said: “When I first heard that Ravi Coltrane was putting together a concert exploring the ecstatic spiritual jazz of his parents, I got chills. Ravi is a world-class musician who has spent decades refining his distinct artistic voice. Watching him share his personal spin on some of the deepest music in the history of popular music with UAE audiences promises to be one of the most meaningful nights of jazz this country has experienced. Both John and Alice Coltrane’s songbooks are filled with explorations that cross cultural borders and influences in ways that will especially resonate in the global crossroads of Abu Dhabi.”

 

The story of jazz is intertwined with the story of John and Alice Coltrane, whose innovations as composers, instrumentalists and spiritual philosophers changed the course of jazz history, with such monumental pieces as John Coltrane’s opus A Love Supreme and Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda, centering an ecstatic and transcendent sense of spirituality that drew inspiration from the Americas, India, and Africa.  

 

Bringing Ravi Coltrane to the UAE for the first time is an extension of The Arts Center's Season 8 theme, ‘Stories’. He will be performing, leading a master class, visiting university classes in ethnomusicology and recorded music production, and speaking at The NYUAD Institute with Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at NYUAD Ghazi Al-Mulaifi and leader of the band Boom.Diwan.

 

For more information on Cosmic Music: A Contemporary Exploration of the Music of John and Alice Coltrane – Ravi Coltrane, please visit The Arts Center website.