In 1971, harpist/pianist Alice Coltrane performed at Carnegie Hall for a special gala benefiting the Integral Yoga Institute. Backed by an all-star group of musicians, Coltrane delivered a captivating set which will now be available in its entirety for the very first time.
On March 22, Alice Coltrane – The Carnegie Hall Concert (Impulse!), will finally bring the complete document of Coltrane’s Carnegie Hall performance to fans worldwide.
Held four years after John Coltrane’s untimely passing and recorded by Impulse!, this deeply spiritual performance marked Alice’s first as a leader at Carnegie Hall. The concert arrived at a pivotal moment in both Coltrane’s musical career and her spiritual journey. She had just released her fourth solo album, the universally acclaimed Journey in Satchidananda, and had deepened her spiritual quest over a five-week trip to India. Her band that night added two members from her teacher/guru Satchidananda’s circle — Kumar Kramer and Tulsi Reynolds, playing harmonium and tamboura, respectively. They provided a distinctly Eastern flavor to a large jazz ensemble largely comprised of collaborators with her late great husband, sax giant John Coltrane. The group included legendary saxophonists Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp, bassists Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee and drummers Ed Blackwell and Clifford Jarvis.
Coltrane’s set began with two transcendental tunes from the recently-released Journey in Satchidananda, the title track and “Shiva-Loka.”
The live version of the title tune is the perfect scene setter. It begins with a hypnotic riff by the bass duo of Garrison and McBee, followed by celestial waves of harmonic washes from Coltrane’s harp. Sanders follows with a wonderful flute solo, with hummed and vocalized harmony, before Shepp brings it home with a bluesy, chromatic excursion on his piercing soprano sax. “Shiva-Loka” is another one chord modal romp which gets deeper with each passing minute.. It is underpinned by a repetitive riff which seems a tribute/lift to/from John Coltrane’s “Equinox.” Alice’s harp casts a heavenly backdrop for a skronking sax solo by Sanders and then a thunderous drum duet.
The remaining two tracks, “Africa” and “Leo,” are covers of latter-day classics by her husband John. For these long journeys, Alice is at the piano providing chordal colors and the occasional solos. “Africa” stretches out to 27+ minutes, with another explosive drum duet, bass solos and plenty of frenzied soloing by Sanders and Shepp in the Trane tradition– a sound that closely captures what John and his crew were conjuring on latter-day recordings like “Live in Japan.”
This year Impulse! and Verve Label Group have partnered with The John & Alice Coltrane Home to launch the “Year of Alice,” a year-long celebration of Alice Coltrane’s profound work. At the center of the celebration are Coltrane’s groundbreaking recordings for Impulse!, and the label will be working in tandem with The John & Alice Coltrane Home for varied activations throughout the year. To kick off the year-long celebration, there will be special night of performers and speakers that include Ravi Coltrane, Michelle Coltrane, Brandee Younger and more at the legendary Birdland on February 22.
To learn more, visit ververecords.com
Pre-order the album HERE.
