Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ravi Coltrane: From the Round Box

Ravi Coltrane: From the Round Box

By David Adler
August 1, 2000
View read count

The fact that he is John Coltrane’s son is really quite incidental to Ravi Coltrane’s work, as From the Round Box, his sophomore outing as a leader, makes clear. Coltrane the younger’s writing and bandleading are quite advanced. His saxophone playing falls solidly within the post-bop mainstream and isn’t earth-shattering, but as an expressive tool and an ensemble texture, it is concise and compelling. Coltrane’s band — now that’s the really good part: Ralph Alessi on trumpet and flugelhorn, Geri Allen on piano, James Genus on bass, and Eric Harland on drums. (Andy Milne guests on piano for the closer, "Between Lines.") These stellar players weave a cohesive web of splendid sound, putting their own stamp on some very diverse music.

Alessi’s tunes, "Social Drones" and "Irony," are especially well constructed. Coltrane’s compositions are "The Chartreuse Mean," with miraculous comping from Allen; "Word Order," a mellow soprano feature with a slick riff built into the form; and "Between Lines," the brief, abstract closer. Wayne Shorter’s "Blues à la Carte" receives a rhythmic makeover not unlike the one Mark Shim, on his Turbulent Flow, gave Joe Henderson’s "Recordame." The Shorter tune and Ornette Coleman’s "The Blessing" are the most burning tracks on the record; Allen raises the roof during her solos. Two ballads, Thelonious Monk’s "Monk’s Mood" and James Carney’s "Consequence," feature sensitive, focused tenor work by Coltrane.

A highly promising player and composer, Ravi Coltrane is poised to go far, for reasons having nothing to do with his last name.

Personnel

Ravi Coltrane

saxophone, tenor

Album information

Title: From The Round Box | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Freeworld

About Ravi Coltrane

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Premonition
< Previous

Producer Don Paul
Next >

Ravi Coltrane Concerts

Oct 2 Fri

Glazer Hall Presents Ravi Coltrane Quartet

Glazer Hall
Palm Beach, FL

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.