Joe Alper/Frank Driggs Collection/Getty ImagesAlice and John Coltrane, 1965.In Sunday’s magazine, Zachary Woolfe profiles Ravi Coltrane, the jazz saxophonist, who has just released his first album for Blue Note Records, ‘‘Spirit Fiction.’’
Just about every jazz saxophone player born after 1960 plays in the shadow of John Coltrane. It’s different, obviously, for Ravi Coltrane, John’s son. Ravi is in the unusual position of having not just one of the legends of 20th-century music as his father; his mother is Alice Coltrane, a formidable jazz figure in her own right.
Here, Ravi provides a highly personal playlist of his favorite tracks featuring his mom and dad.
‘‘Monk’s Mood,’’ Thelonious Monk
From ‘‘Live at Carnegie Hall’’ (2005)
“For me, the most beautiful tone ever produced on a tenor saxophone can be heard on this live performance from 1957. An award should be given to someone that can produce a sound so evocative — familiar and otherworldly at once.”
‘‘Journey in Satchidananda,’’ Alice Coltrane
From ‘‘Journey in Satchidananda’’ (1970)
“Hearing the sounds of tamboura and upright bass, bells, soprano sax and my mother’s harp will always take me back to my youth. This is such a familiar sound to me — and it is the classic early ’70s Alice Coltrane sound.”
‘‘Central Park West,’’ John Coltrane
From ‘‘Coltrane’s Sound’’ (1960)
“John Coltrane’s need and desire to explore harmony in cycles compositionally does not interfere with his ability to sing lyrically and tell his story on soprano sax on this beautiful ballad from 1960.”
‘‘Triloka,’’ Alice Coltrane
From ‘‘Translinear Light’’ (2004)
“This piece could not have been more spontaneous. My mother was leaving the studio as Charlie Haden was arriving. Charlie says, ‘Hey, man, can we play one?’ My mother was already in the car when we moved to set up the bass mikes in the room next to the piano. I told the engineer to roll the tape as soon as Alice returned to the studio — you can even hear my footsteps as I exit when this track begins. They decided to play ‘free’ — which could mean a thousand things. For Alice and Charlie, it meant this piece would be a conversation; informed by a shared history, a mutual understanding of tone, pace and direction — and of course, a profound musicality. Charlie’s ears are huge, and his reaction time is instantaneous — his accompaniment here is on the highest level. The performance is a gem, an absolute beauty of musical expression. After the last chord rang out— my mother stood and would soon be on her way home — Charlie’s salutation: ‘Hey, man, that was so beautiful. You took me on a journey, and I was right there with you.’ ’’
‘‘Sita Ram,’’ Alice Coltrane
From ‘‘Translinear Light’’
“Alice Coltrane evokes the past, present and future in her rendition of this traditional Indian bhajan. Her sound and approach seek to uplift the spirit, to inform and to guide. And she does with every note.”
‘‘Lover,’’ John Coltrane
From ‘‘The Last Trane’’ (1958)
“Superfast bebop and J. C. nailing it all — by his third chorus John plays a lick that literally sounds like he is blowing the keys off the horn. Donald Byrd — the trumpeter on this recording — told me once how excited he was to get a call from John Coltrane to make a record date with him — until John called ‘Lover’ at breakneck speed.’’
‘‘Spiritual Eternal,’’ Alice Coltrane
From ‘‘Eternity’’ (1976)
“The blues, the Baptist Church and the analog synthesizer unite in a way only Alice Coltrane could see fit. A beautiful and unique organization of atmosphere, vibe and texture.”
‘‘Iris,’’ John Coltrane
From ‘‘Stellar Regions’’ (1967)
“Very symbolic use of intervals, motifs during the last stage of J. C.’s work — in his compositions/improvisations, John chooses a phrase and imbues it with subjective meaning, his message. Then he states that message in every way he can musically, sonically, throughout the keys, in every range of his horn. His process suggests, ‘I have something to tell you, and I’m going to say it in as many ways as I can.’ ’’
‘‘Walk With Me,’’ Alice Coltrane
From ‘‘Translinear Light’’
‘‘Alice Coltrane played songs like this in her youth, as the organist of her church in Detroit in the 1950s. Her ability to evoke the spirit and the spiritual never left her. A traditional hymn performed with delicate power and grace. There is a beautiful continuity extending from my mother’s early childhood that weaves throughout her entire life.’’
‘‘Dr. Jackle,’’ Miles Davis
From ‘‘Milestones’’ (1958)
‘‘What more could you ask for? Miles Davis throwing out cues to the drummer; Cannonball Adderley on alto trading blues choruses with John Coltrane on tenor. One of the greatest working bands of all time. It’s 1958, and if you listen, you can start to hear some of the future coming out of John Coltrane’s saxophone.’’
‘‘One Down, One Up,’’ John Coltrane
From ‘‘Live at the Half Note’’ (2005)
‘‘For me, this is one of the greatest improvised saxophone solos of all time. Every phrase, every thought hard-wired to the moment — perpetually moving forward with meaning, depth and lyric. A herculean feat considering this sax solo lasts for about 27 minutes. An insightful, intuitive journey.’’