Longread by Kurt Overbergh (reading time: 5 minutes)
“Coltrane is hip for real. He's always been hip.”
(James Brandon Lewis, 2025)
AB, Bozar and Kaaitheater join forces to present a unique tribute to John Coltrane: one of the most influential innovators in the history of jazz. Coltrane developed an entirely inimitable signature sound with his saxophone – a Belgian invention, by the way (© Adolphe Sax). His rich body of work is now considered a sacred legacy: “Many artists achieve greatness but very few produce work that is so moving that it’s considered sacred.” To mark Coltrane’s 100th birthday, in 2026 we honour his legacy with a series of dance performances, concert, screenings, readings and artist talks …
(JOHN) COLTRANE: “Musical nonsense being peddled in the name of jazz.”
As often happens in the history of music, musical pioneers provoke resistance. Remember Bob Dylan who heralded in his electric period at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, or the première of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite Of Spring in 1913 in Paris, that led to loud protests and riots. It happened to Coltrane too upon the release of Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard (1962), when prominent American jazz magazine Down Beat described the album as "musical nonsense being peddled in the name of jazz". Coltrane was also delt a scathing concert review: “A horrifying demonstration of what appears to be a growing anti-jazz trend.”
Remarkably, Trane already had classics to his name, such as Blue Train (1958), Giant Steps (1960) and My Favorite Things (1961, with which he scored a hit for the title track from The Sound of Music) and was to be heard on Miles Davis’ ultimate jazz classic Kind Of Blue (1959). Coltrane’s contertones clearly met with resistance before they were eventually – time always tells – hailed sacred legacy.
(John) Coltrane 100: Focus on albums Crescent, A Love Supreme and Interstellar Space
Coltrane’s oeuvre is outright impressive. Not only in terms of artistic beauty or musical innovation (from his ‘sheets of sound’ to the door he opened to free jazz and spiritual jazz) but also in terms of sheer volume. In merely 10 years(!) – from his self-titled debut in 1957 as bandleader on Prestige to his death in 1967 - Coltrane released some 40 albums(!). From this rich body of work, we have deliberately chosen to focus on three albums.
Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (1965) – essentially his magnum opus – was a clear must. So, at AB’s express request, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker will reprise the dance performance of the same name that she created together with Catalan choreographer Salva Sanchis. A Love Supreme is breathtakingly made visual by four dancers, each dancer embodying a musician from Coltrane’s legendary Classic Quartet. The reviews spoke for themselves: “A spiritual apotheosis.” (De Standaard) and De Morgen in a ****-review: “Pure delight for the eye and they heart.”
Crescent (1964) is often considered by Coltrane connoisseurs to be ‘a hidden gem’. Upon its release, it was overshadowed by Coltrane’s masterpiece, which was released only 6 months later. All About Jazz: “Coming so close in the Coltrane chronology to A Love Supreme, Crescent tends to get lost in the slipstream.” Crescent is often described as Coltrane’s “most melancholy record” and it is being reimagined by MiXMONK Supreme, the inimitable trio comprising American drummer Joey Baron (see: John Zorn’s Masada), pianist Bram De Looze and saxophonist Robin Verheyen (1/4 TaxiWars, amongst others).
Then, lastly, Interstellar Space (1974) was the source of inspiration for saxophonist James Brandon Lewis – described by Marc Ribot as “the keeper of the legacy of John Coltrane” – and drummer Chad Taylor, known for his work with the late Jaimie Branch. Their sax/drum combo gives a nod to the collaboration between Coltrane and drummer Rashied Ali, as heard on the posthumously released Interstellar Space. Incidentally, it’s no coincidence that Lewis – with The Messthetics (containing ex-members of post-hardcore band Fugazi) – also resides on Impulse! Records: Coltrane’s safe haven in the sixties.
(John) Coltrane 100: The sacred flame
Coltrane was a master of woodshedding, a slang term among musicians “for intense, private practice until the material is perfected.” Saxophonist Jimmy Heath: “Coltrane was so dedicated to his craft that he practiced 25 hours a day.” Coltrane’s extreme dedication and obsessive practice routine were well known. The artists who perform as part of (JOHN) COLTRANE 100 share that sacred fire.
AB faithful Shabaka Hutchings fits in perfectly. In late 2023, he performed a complete rendition of Trane’s A Love Supreme at London’s Hackney Church, and a handful of his albums have been released via Impulse! Records. De Standaard on his performance at Pukkelpop (2018) with his band Sons Of Kemet: “Praise the Lord for Shabaka. Coltrane surely watched with a smile from up above.”
Brussels/Paris-based quartet OLA TUNJI centres around saxophonist Ornella Noulet. Their passion: the spiritual jazz of Coltrane. Noulet: “Since we cannot truly experience peace collectively in this world, we have Coltrane’s music to, at least, hear and feel it. Coltrane is a messenger of God; with love and light, he offers us what we so desperately lack in our human condition: a glimpse of eternity.” Listening to their debut EP (2024), it feels as if Coltrane’s Classic Quartet has entered the room.
Then, Swedish quintet Elin Forkelid Plays for Trane mainly draws from Trane’s later ‘freer’ work. Forkelid: “Being a tenor player myself, the works of Coltrane have been something almost divine. I feel a deep connection to Coltrane and his music.”
Finally, the guitar style of Polish guitarist Raphael Rogiński tends toward American primitivism. His album Plays John Coltrane (2015) was described by Pitchfork as “Rogiński’s masterpiece”. But those expecting to recognise Coltrane classics are in for a surprise. Pitchfork: “It would take an Olympic leap of imagination”. Which makes Rogiński’s interpretations all the more unique. Wonderful, because (JOHN) COLTRANE 100 isn’t looking for copy cats, but innovators who can further explore Coltrane’s path.
(JOHN) COLTRANE 100: We want more!
We will open each concert day with a screening of Live à Comblain-a-Tour – a historic document from 1965 that captures Trane’s only Belgian performance – and set the tone with A Musical Prayer. Together, we will listen to musical odes to Trane by Alice Coltrane and Clifford Jordan that will touch the soul deeply. Lastly, in the entrance hall, you can view blow ups of Coltrane’s album covers from his Impulse! years.
(JOHN) COLTRANE 100: At our friends at Bozar
Bozar joins in on celebrating the 100th birthday too. They do so with an impressive series of concerts:
THU SEPT 24: Flat Earth Society - The Coltrane Mutations.
Tickets: Flat Earth Society | Bozar Brussels
THU OCT 1: Aaron Parks & Walter Smith III - Playing the Ballads of and by John Coltrane.
Tickets: Aaron Parks & Walter Smith III | Bozar Brussels
SAT OKT 3: Harmony Holiday meets John Coltrane: A talk with the American Film maker.
Tickets: Harmony Holiday meets John Coltrane | Bozar Brussels
WED NOV 11: Joe Lovano & Melissa Aldana & … - Both Directions at Once.
Tickets: Coltrane 100 - Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linday May Oh, Jeff "Tain" Watts | Bozar Brussels
Ready for a spiritual trip?
Kurt Overbergh
AB Artistic Director
