Accessibility links
Ravi Coltrane Ravi Coltrane artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Ravi Coltrane

Ravi Coltrane

Friday

Ravi Coltrane On Piano Jazz

Ravi Coltrane. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

Ravi Coltrane On Piano Jazz

Coltrane and host Marian McPartland discuss his family's musical heritage and his individual approach to music, with performances of "Naima" and Giant Steps," in a session from 2000.

Ravi Coltrane In The Studio

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/365705747/365706739" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Wednesday

Tuesday

Ravi Coltrane's Favorite 'Ice Cream' Flavor

Ravi Coltrane's favorite tune off his most recent album, Spirit Fiction, was written by longtime collaborator Ralph Alessi. Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist

A Blog Supreme

Ravi Coltrane's Favorite 'Ice Cream' Flavor

The saxophonist explains why his band returns to a certain palate-cleansing, dairy-titled tune so often — and discusses his connection to its composer, long-time collaborator Ralph Alessi.

Sunday

Making A Home For John Coltrane's Legacy

Last year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation put the Coltrane Home on a list of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the United States. Now, a group of fans and family has set out to restore it. Courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Music News

Making A Home For John Coltrane's Legacy

Ravi Coltrane, Coltrane's son, says the house he grew up in on Long Island is a monument to the life-changing power of his father's creativity. The house is a historic landmark, but it's falling into disrepair.

Making A Home For John Coltrane's Legacy

Listen · 5:50
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/156846101/157185967" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

At Home With The Coltranes, Listening To Stravinsky

Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane is the son of jazz icons John and Alice Coltrane. His new album Spirit Fiction was released June 19. Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist

Mom And Dad's Record Collection

At Home With The Coltranes, Listening To Stravinsky

Saxophonist and composer Ravi Coltrane — son of John and Alice — says his mother's love of symphonic music provided a childhood soundtrack for him and his siblings.

At Home With The Coltranes, Listening To Stravinsky

Listen · 5:06
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/157060981/157071096" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Ravi Coltrane: A Noble Sound, Witness To Its Heritage

Ravi Coltrane's new album is called Spirit Fiction. Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Music Reviews

Ravi Coltrane: A Noble Sound, Witness To Its Heritage

Fresh Air

The jazz musician didn't make his burden any lighter by choosing to play tenor and soprano saxophones — the same instruments his father, John Coltrane, indelibly stamped. But critic Kevin Whitehead says he speaks in his own voice on the album Spirit Fiction.

Ravi Coltrane: A Noble Sound, Witness To Its Heritage

Listen · 5:55
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/156915256/156915267" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sunday

First Listen: Ravi Coltrane, 'Spirit Fiction'

Ravi Coltrane's new album, Spirit Fiction, comes out June 19. Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Deborah Feingold/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Ravi Coltrane, 'Spirit Fiction'

He took a snapshot of his long-running quartet mid-experiment. Then he thought he'd record a completely different band on a different set of tunes. The result is Ravi Coltrane's sixth studio album, the latest progress report from the saxophonist.

Hear 'Spirit Fiction' In Its Entirety

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/154163328/154077431" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Wednesday

Thursday

Monday

Tenors Of Our Time: Five Saxophone Modernists

Folk Art is Joe Lovano's 21st recording for the Blue Note label. He gives a generous nod to Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango on the stand-out track, "Dibango." Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of the artist

Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

Tenors Of Our Time: Five Saxophone Modernists

WBGO

Even with his contributions to the instrument, not even Coleman Hawkins could have predicted how the tenor saxophone would become so centrally identifiable with jazz. Five of today's leading tenor players have new releases in 2009, each with his own take on the shape of jazz to come.

Wednesday

Thursday

Music Interviews

Ravi Coltrane, 'In Flux'

Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane is the son of jazz legend John Coltrane and pianist Alice Coltrane. While Ravi grew up in a musical family, he didn't start a career in jazz until his 20s. Now, with his latest CD, In Flux, some critics say Ravi Coltrane has created a sound all his own. He talks with NPR's Ed Gordon about his music.

Ravi Coltrane, 'In Flux'

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4609520/4609521" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">