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| Ravi Coltrane's Long-Awaited New Savoy Jazz Album Grammy-nominated and revered tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane has put the finishing touches on his long-awaited new recording "Blending Times." The follow up to the Grammy-nominated "In Flux, " Ravi Coltrane again performs primarily with his stellar quartet consisting of Luis Perdomo on piano, Drew Gress on bass and E.J. Strickland on drums. He also invited special guests Charlie Haden and harpist Brandee Younger to perform for a poignant turn as a trio. Peter Margasak of the Chicago Reader notes: "He's established his own style now-his music sounds stronger and more individual than ever, and 'Blending Times, ' his first album in four years, is a knockout." In addition, Ravi Coltrane will be a featured performer in the Blue Note 7 - a touring septet which will embark on a 51 date tour of concert halls in 50 cities beginning in January to celebrate Blue Note's 70th Anniversary. Ravi Coltrane's, "Blending Times, " is available today to coincide with the beginning of the tour with an exclusive bonus track on iTunes and will be physically available in stores on the Savoy Jazz label on January 13th. The second son of John and Alice Coltrane, Ravi has carefully crafted a career as a musician in his own right recording and performing with a charismatic musical voice and a distinctive presence. His journey as a musician has been a thoughtful evolution filled with interesting, eclectic sideman work (McCoy Tyner, Dave Liebman & Joe Lovano, Steve Coleman, Joanne Brackeen to name a few) and a compelling turn as the leader of a consistently touring quartet formed in 2003. This quartet of excellent musicians is out in full force on "Blending Times". Their performances reflect a seamless, organic feel informed by the musical relationships of the members of the group. The tracks move between structured improvisational conversations, unique originals, a swing and pulse driven take on Thelonious Monk, and moving musical statements. "Blending Times" came to fruition during a period of personal transition. Ravi Coltrane's choice of title suggests a point of convergence for the past and present. His latest recording comes complete with music reflecting a myriad of emotions, played by a stellar group of musicians. Savoy Jazz is a division of The Savoy Label Group (SLG) a leader in contemporary adult music and features not only the historic Savoy Jazz recordings but also those from Muse, Landmark, Denon, and the Denon Classics labels. The Savoy Label Group is the North American unit of Columbia Music Entertainment (formerly Nippon Columbia), the oldest music company in Japan. SLG is lead by Steve Vining and CME is headed by Chairman Strauss Zelnick, founder of Zelnick Media, which owns interests in and manages an array of media companies. write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |