Pharoah Sanders Quartet headlines "40 Years of Celebrating 'Trane" -- October 1-7, 2017

BOSTON - Aug. 10, 2017 - PRLog -- Celebrating its 40th year, the John Coltrane Memorial Concert (JCMC) is the world's oldest annual performance tribute to the musical and spiritual legacy of the great master. JCMC believes, as did 'Trane, that music can be a force to make the world a better place:

"I want to be a force for real good. In other words, I know there are bad forces out here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world, but I want to be the opposite force. I want to be the force that is truly for good." (John Coltrane, 1966)

For this banner year, which happens to coincide with the 50th anniversary year of Coltrane's death (d.July 17, 1967),JCMC has scheduled a week-long series of events, which runs from October 1st-7th, combined with a month-long photo exhibit, providing insight into the many ways to really hear and view 'Trane, who harbored such a strong belief that the power of his music could affect positive social change. It is a week to jump on board the 'Trane phenomenon.

The 40th anniversary week commences with a return one time only showing of the highly acclaimed 2016 documentary film "Chasing Trane",followed by a panel discussion moderated by Emmett G. Price III with Tia Fuller, Eric Jackson and JCMC co-founder Syd Smart.

The week will then continue with several free and insightful 'Trane-oriented presentations, Chasing More 'Trane and Insider Reflections on the JCMC Legacy, along with a retrospective photo exhibit entitled 40 Years of Celebrating 'Trane,curated by Edmund Barry Gaither.

The momentum of the week's proceedings will culminate in two consecutive evening concerts. The first, on Friday October 6th, features the time-honored JCMC Ensemble, this year expanding to 20-pieces under the direction of Carl Atkins. Joining Atkins on reeds and woodwinds will be Leonard Brown, Stan Strickland, Bill Thompson and Robert Tynes. Trumpets will feature Robert Gallegos, Charles Lewis,Doug Olsen and Mike Peipman. Jeff Galindo, Bill Lowe, Rick Stepton and Gary Valente will be featured on trombone and tuba, along with Yoron Israel and Ron Savage on drums. Rollins Ross, George W. Russell, Jr., Frank Wilkins are the keyboardists, and John Lockwood and Ron Mahdi are the bassists. "Con Salsa!"'s José Massó serves as host for the evening.

On Saturday October 7th, JCMC presents the great master saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and his quartet, featuring Sanders with William Henderson on piano, Nat Reeves on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums.

Pharoah Sanders is a NEA Jazz Master, the USA's highest award for the genre. He is a legendary musician who has shown a remarkable facility performing in a variety of styles — from free to mainstream. Displaying what has been called "hard-edged lyricism," Sanders' possesses one of the most distinctive sounds on the tenor saxophone, harmonically rich with heavy overtones. Ornette Coleman once described him as "probably the best tenor player in the world." Sanders performed in 2003 in JCMC's 26th annual concert entitled "The Sacred Music of John Coltrane." Eric Jackson, hailed as the"dean of Boston jazz radio,"serves as host for this year's final event of the 40th anniversary week.

For complete event details and further background information re: the John Coltrane Memorial Concert's 40th anniversary week, which runs from October 1-7, 2017, please visit www.friendsofjcmc.org.