Coltrane 100 at The Freight

Coltrane 100: Both Directions at Once
The Freight
Berkeley, CA
April 15, 2026

On September 23, 1926, in Hamlet, North Carolina, a child was born. He would have—by the time of his untimely demise at the age of 40—an immense influence on the structure, performance of, and future of the music known as jazz. John William Coltrane was a force of nature. And his influence still reigns strong today. 

At 73, Joe Lovano is one of the most innovative stalwarts on the scene. He has put together tributes to Miles Davis and to Coltrane in the past, and this touring band is just one of his many diverse projects. As he told WBGO's Brian Delp in 2026, "It's a blessing to share the blessings we have as musicians. And that whole attitude is inspired by John Coltrane and the period he lived in and what he did with his music to bring people together... The titles of his tunes were inspirational." The purpose was "not to recreate Coltrane but to create some music within it" and "to improvise in a free-flowing fashion from night to night through many of Coltrane's beautiful themes."

Taking the stage at The Freight in Berkeley, California, Lovano introduced the first few numbers along with his formidable compatriots. To commemorate the centennial of Coltrane's birth, Lovano had put together a sizzling ensemble:

In a nod to Coltrane's partnership with Eric Dolphy and Pharoah Sanders, Melissa Aldana, his former student at Berklee, provided a second voice on tenor saxophone. A native of Santiago, Cuba, now residing in Manhattan, Aldana's most recent album, Filin (Blue Note, 2026), brings influences from Miles Davis and Coltrane together with a Cuban sound; Aldana was also featured on vocals.

Pianist Nduduzo Makhathini brought a strong, spirited presence to the stage. While Lovano had never played with him prior to the tour, they had communicated and was excited to have him join the quartet. "He's a real McCoy Tyner disciple," Lovano told WBGO. Makhathini told Blue Note that "I came to understand my voice as a pianist through John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme,' he says. "As someone who started playing jazz very late, I had always been looking for a kind of playing that could mirror or evoke the way my people danced, sung, and spoke. Tyner provided that and still does in meaningful ways." 

A former McCoy Tyner band member (as is Lovano), Jeff Tain Watts, a solid drummer versed in both American and Afro-Cuban jazz styles, completed the lineup. 

The show kicked off with "Love" (from the "Meditations Suite"), which was followed by Expression before a reprise of "Love." Both musicians fed off the other: Lovano soloed, following which Aldana crouched down as she improvised on her horn. Oh grinned ear to ear as she strummed her bass. Her vigorous solo segued into Lovano's exploratory tenor tones, which were then joined in tandem by Aldana. Lovano picked up his bells to add effect as Aldana soloed again. Makhathini intoned in his native Zulu. Aldana and Lovano soloed in tandem.

And so it went over the course of the 90-minute set. Watts employed his mallets to begin "One Up One Down." Aldana, following a solo, stood behind Makhathini's piano as he soloed. Lovano's "Sound Creation in E" followed with the rest of the evening, including the "Acknowledgement" from the "A Love Supreme" suite, drummer Juno Lewis's "Kulu Se Mama," and Tyner's "You Taught My Heart to Sing."

Her eyes were closed, and her hands were moving up and down the threads of her bass while Oh delivered a meditative solo. Makhathini soloed energetically on the piano, once more intoning and singing in Zulu. Lovano supplemented his tenor saxophone with wooden flute and clarinet solos. Watts gave a stellar solo, which was much appreciated by the audience. 

Saxophonist Joshua Redman joined the group for a sizzling three-saxophone version of "Mr. P.C.," the famous twelve-bar 1959 Coltrane composition (in minor blues form). Lovano related that "He opened the door for all of us." As Coltrane said, "When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups."