Join us as we celebrate the life of John Coltrane right here in his home state of North Carolina! The night will feature the Joseph Herbst Big Band, which consists of spectacular musicians coming from New York, Michigan, Texas, and, of course, Asheville, as well as a local spoken word artist.
The use of a big band to share Coltrane’s music creates a medium that allows for us to paint a story of his life through music, extrapolating the complex yet beautiful emotions of his playing into a 17-piece ensemble.
The night will feature a spoken word artist presenting the words and writings of Coltrane, performed both in between big band pieces backed by Coltrane’s music in its simplest form as well as interwoven into the fabric of the performance of the full ensemble.
Coltrane’s life and beliefs were intricately linked with his music. A celebration of Coltrane cannot be solely music – it must include all aspects of his life. Through this, Coltrane’s music is still timely today, speaking to the current political and racial state of our nation. This will not just be a historical celebration of Coltrane’s life, but also a reworking of his music and life in present time, making us look inwards and outwards in the way Coltrane would do if he were alive today.
The band will perform three of John Coltrane’s most iconic compositions arranged for big band, and three originals inspired by Coltrane’s music, all written by Joseph Herbst. These six tunes are all written in a light that captures the struggles, successes, and ultimate revelation throughout Coltrane’s all too short life.
Arrangements:
Lonnie’s Lament
Giant Steps
After the Rain
Compositions inspired by:
Like Sonny
Equinox
Pursuance
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.