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It is unfair when a talented person has his
or her accomplishments examined through the lens of
pedigree. Some, like Barry Bonds, have handled it well, but
countless others have bent beneath the weight of great
expectations. Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane has forged a
notable career in jazz because of (and, perhaps, in
spite of) his bloodlines. His latest release, Mad 6,
carries on his father's tradition and further establishes
him as one of the important voices on the current jazz
landscape. His partners on this session are pianists
George Colligan and Andy Milne, bassists James
Genus and Darryl Hall, and drummer Steve Hass.
Ravi's disc opens with "26-2," a tune by his father.
The objective here is homage by way of departure, as
Coltrane totally burns the song out, playing it at a much
faster tempo, letting the ideas pour out of his tenor as
the rhythm section runs along with him all the way
until the tune comes to a complete, sudden and
triumphant halt. Ravi goes to soprano on the
mischievous, funk-laden "Ginger Bread Boy."
"Avignon" begins with a tenor-piano duet between
Ravi and Milne. Mingus' classic ballad "Self Portrait in
Three Colors" gets an appropriately bluesy
treatment, with wide spacing in the
arrangement to give the players adequate room.
The burning "Between Lines" has a challenging chord
structure, executed with nary a speed bump. "Round
Midnight," with Ravi on soprano, isn't played at its
usual "last call" tempo; the band brings it in at the
pace of cars hurrying along the FDR Drive on a
Saturday night. The disc concludes with the second
John Coltrane bookend, "Fifth House," which Ravi and
the band race through, as if to acknowledge Trane's
presence before moving along.
With each new disc, Ravi Coltrane's technique
and voice becomes more distinct and self-assured.
Colligan and Milne are fine pianists, attacking the
keys with imagination. Genus and Hall are fine on
bass, and Hass does an excellent job on drums,
particularly on "Fifth House," where he uses the
drumsticks as instruments unto themselves. With Mad
6, Ravi Coltrane has added another rich chapter to his
own evolving musical legacy.
This review originally appeared in the July 2003 issue of
All About Jazz - New York.
~ Terrell Holmes
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Track Listing: 1. 26-2 (Coltrane) - 5:11
2. Ginger Bread Boy (Heath) - 4:08
3. Avignon (Coltrane) - 7:12
4. The Mad 6 (Coltrane) - 1:20
5. Self Portrait in Three Colors (Mingus) - 5:23
6. Between Lines (Coltrane) - 4:43
7. 'Round Midnight (Hanighen/Monk/Williams) - 6:25
8. The Return of Olymbus (Coltrane) - 3:02
9. Ask Me Now (Monk) - 6:01
10. Fifth House (Coltrane) - 7:27
Personnel: George Colligan - Piano,
James Genus - Bass,
Andy Milne - Piano,
Ravi Coltrane - Soprano and tenor saxophones,
Darryl Hall - Bass,
Steve Hass - Percussion, Drums.
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