»Collier Plays Coltrane« – FAST LANE
John & Alice Coltrane 100
His boundless drive for innovation and deep spirituality made jazz saxophonist John Coltrane a role model for entire generations. The Elbphilharmonie celebrates his 100th birthday with four concerts
Description
Among the greats of jazz, John Coltrane holds a singular place. Having risen to fame in Miles Davis’s legendary quintet, the tenor saxophonist achieved iconic status in the 1960s with his groundbreaking sound. The precision with which he drove his playing to ecstatic heights at astonishing speed, along with the harmonic innovations of his music, electrified generations of listeners. Landmark albums such as »Giant Steps« and »A Love Supreme« remain milestones in jazz history, while the experimental group improvisations on »Ascension« are considered foundational to free jazz. Equally influential was his collaboration with Indian sitar master Ravi Shankar, whose spirituality shaped Coltrane so profoundly that he named his second son after him – the saxophonist Ravi Coltrane.
The Elbphilharmonie marks this centenary with four outstanding concerts: an all-star band led by the ever-energetic saxophone great Joe Lovano translates a famous Coltrane motto into music; Branford Marsalis and five-time Grammy Award winner Dianne Reeves pay tribute to the soulful collaboration between John Coltrane and singer Johnny Hartman; Isaiah Collier, one of the most exciting emerging artists on the US jazz scene, recorded his second album using the original equipment from Coltrane’s »A Love Supreme« and now takes the stage at the Elbphilharmonie; and, of course, Ravi Coltrane appears alongside harpist Brandee Younger in a tribute concert for his mother Alice Coltrane – visionary jazz harpist, pianist and composer, who would have celebrated her 90th birthday in 2027.
Events of the spotlight
- Elbphilharmonie Kleiner SaalTicket sale starts on 19 May 2026 at 11:00
- Elbphilharmonie Großer Saal
Joe Lovano: »Coltrane 100: Both Directions at Once«
with Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini Linda May Han Oh & Jeff Watts – Jazz at the Phil
Ticket sale starts on 19 May 2026 at 11:00 - Elbphilharmonie Großer SaalTicket sale starts on 19 May 2026 at 11:00
- Elbphilharmonie Großer Saal
Ravi Coltrane / David Virelles / Bob Hurst / Jeff Watts / Brandee Younger
»Translinear Light: The Music of Alice Coltrane« – Jazz at the Phil
Ticket sale starts on 19 May 2026 at 11:00
