Honoring a jazz legend: Solar Myth, local jazz creatives celebrate Coltrane’s birthday

When Ars Nova Workshop Executive and Artistic Director Mark Christman celebrates Philadelphia-native, spiritualized jazz giant John Coltrane’s 98th birthday tonight at South Philly’s Solar Myth, it will certainly be an evening to remember.

Along with screening director Shahkeem E. Williams’ new short film ‘Speakn’ Trane’ (written and produced by John Coltrane Symposium founder Anyabwile Love, who’ll act as the birthday evening’s host), Christman welcomes to the Solar Myth stage longtime Coltrane acolyte – saxophonist-composer Bobby Zankel – and his all-Philadelphia ensemble, Wonderful Sound 7.

For this special birthday concert featuring fresh arrangements of Coltrane’s latter-day classics, in addition to Zankel’s original compositions, fellow Philly saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins joins trombonist Robin Eubanks, drummer Pheeroan akLaff, pianist Sumi Tonooka, and bassist Lee Smith for the event.

For this birthday show, Zankel – a living legend of Philadelphia improvisation, invention and community – will take Coltrane’s ecstatic elastic ‘Acknowledgement’ (from ‘A Love Supreme’) and ‘Jupiter’ and ‘Venus’ (from ‘Interstellar Space’) and fuse them with new work that is distinctly his own. But how?

“The Buddhist concept of the “oneness of mentor and disciple” is at work here,” says Zankel. “This refers to the student embracing the mission and work of the teacher with a shared commitment. This may seem pretentious and presumptuous, but it is matter of the heart. At this age I am well aware of my musical shortcomings but, we love what we love. So, I have been listening and studying this great man’s work basically every day for almost 60 years.”

‘Speakn’ Trane’ screenwriter, producer and John Coltrane Symposium founder Anyabwile Love talked about turning on to Coltrane at age 17 with love and awe.

“I wasn’t a musician didn’t even know I was an artist at the time… But when I came upon Coltrane and ‘A Love Supreme,’ something changed,” says Love. “It was the timing of the introduction. I was “open”, changing, questioning so much. And that record led me further down the road.”

Love not only got hooked; she devoted her life to further listening, reading, travels to the Coltrane Church, and finally meeting the saxophonist’s wife, composer and harpist Alice Coltrane.

“She encouraged me to learn more about him beyond his music. His spirituality and philosophies. That charge from her is what became my dissertation research and eventually led me to the film, ‘Speakn’ Trane’. The film is an attempt to show the interior life of Coltrane. To allow for nuance beyond his music and live performances.”

‘Speakn’ Trane’ stars Cameron André as the iconic saxophonist, who sits for a revealing interview as he prepares to unveil his groundbreaking album ‘A Love Supreme’.

“The hope, now that the film is out in the world, is that folk who view it are inclined as Alice encouraged me to learn more about Trane and figure out what their good is,” says Love. “And that they offer it to the world.”

Of throwing the ultimate party for the ultimate saxophonist-composer who changed the game and spirit of jazz, Christman states that “Coltrane’s life is both extraordinary and exemplary, with a story that participates not only in America’s greatest invention, jazz, but also in so many of the important historical narratives of the past two centuries.”

Looking forward to Coltrane’s centennial celebration, Christman remarks with an eye toward the future, “While many will have their eyes on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, we’ll be celebrating Coltrane’s 100 and the creative potential he embodied — and one that can absolutely transform this city.”

For more information and tickets, visit arsnovaworkshop.org