Ravi Coltrane performs with the Africa/Brass Ensemble at the Biamp PDX Jazz Festival at the Newmark Theatre on Feb. 26, 2016. (David Greenwald/The Oregonian)
By David Greenwald | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on February 27, 2016 at 11:06 AM, updated February 27, 2016 at 11:11 AM
"Africa/Brass" didn't get a thorough introduction at the Biamp PDX Jazz Festival on Friday night, so here's one: if 1960's "Giant Steps" was John Coltrane at his most athletic, the 1961 release tested his breadth. As its title implies, the album added a more expansive ensemble to Coltrane's quartet, translated as an eight-piece brass band at the Newmark Theatre on Friday. In Coltrane's stead stood his son Ravi, rocking and bending into his saxophones—his first performance of this week's Coltrane-themed festival, with a tribute to Ravi's mother, Alice, set for Saturday.
Portland's own Charles Gray conducted the ensemble, which added lush power to the five songs of the "Africa/Brass" sessions: "Greensleeves," with Coltrane on soprano sax, was an easy highlight as the song pushed from familiar melody to a boiling performance. Before taking on "Africa/Brass," the quartet alone played for a striking half-hour, Coltrane playing sweetly against pianist Orrin Evans' ferocious, Jenga-stacked notes. One revelation was drummer Mark Whitfield Jr., who brought punk volume along with his jazz effortlessness.
read more: http://news360.com/digestarticle/PzwL5jquUUyc1EXJpfWiXw
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