Ravi Coltrane Reads Between the Notes

His father was a legend, but tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane has garnered a name in his own right. As a modern jazz musician, Ravi takes to improvisation in the fashion of late greats Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and of course his father John Coltrane - who passed before he was two. Ravi Coltrane’s style is refreshing, deliberately passionate and whole-heartedly his own.

In anticipation of his first performance at BlackRock Center for the Arts on Saturday, Sept. 17, Patch phoned in Ravi Coltrane for a discussion on his influences, musical style and plans for the future:

 Patch: What were some of your influences growing up?

Coltrane: I listened to a lot of R&B music when I was young, like James Brown, Earth Wind & Fire — a lot of Motown music. I also listened to classical music thanks to my mother Alice Coltrane, who was a classically trained pianist, everyday she would be playing around the house. I’m also a big Beatles fan. Really, I just like all types of music. As far as jazz goes, I listened to music primarily after the 1940s like Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter and so many others.

 Patch: How did your most recent album Blending Times (2009) come about and where does the title come from?

Coltrane: The album represents two periods of my life. Originally I was trying to get out of a contract with my label, then my mother passed away while I was making the album. Half of the record was made in 2006 and the other half after my mother’s passing in 2007. The album comes from two very different places in my life. I was trying to make a certain type of record when I was trying to get out of the contract but after my mother passed I realized I needed to make different type of record. It’s a blending of those two things.

 Patch: You are also the founder of RKM Music, a record label that stresses music without filters and corporate influences. What brought upon your decisions to start this label?

Coltrane: The label was started in 1999 when we still had an industry, before Internet made it possible to publish music at any moment. We just wanted to make sure it’s music all the way and not worry about how it’s sold. We work modestly putting out two or three records a year. We’re planning on releasing a record from an incredible piano player named Luis Perdomo and also a new Alice Coltrane album at the beginning of next year.

Patch: How would you define your style?

Coltrane: I’m very interested in spontaneous music making with a certain amount of surprise built into every moment of the music. When things are too programmed I tend to not do so well. I’m really into improvising, coming up with everything on the spot. I try to be novice as I can when I play and make sure it’s not a pre-formulated process.

Patch: In what ways do you think your father has influenced your style?

Coltrane: He laid so much groundwork for everyone who improvises. His intention was so strong that it forces all of us to look inward at what’s inside of us and how we can make that a part of our music. It teaches us not just to repeat the things we’ve learned but to also go deeper, the way he did. He really injected himself in his work, not just solely in his records but in the way he went about things. “

Patch: Where do you hope to take your music in the future?

Coltrane: I want to keep going inward and hopefully not get lost. Hopefully, really find who I am. I know jazz gets pegged as “doesn’t matter who you are, just have to know what comes before you.” You always have to know what comes before but at some point you have to embrace who you are. Jazz is not supposed to be something you just repeat — Coltrane didn’t do that, Miles didn’t do that, Parker didn’t do that. None of the important leaders of jazz did that. They got all their knowledge from the past but they also went inside and put something out there that is unique, that has always been my goal. For me, jazz has never been this thing that you just copy.  It’s something to express your ideas. That’s all I’m trying to do.

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For his performance at BlackRock on Saturday, Ravi Coltrane will be playing in a quartet with drummer E.J. Strickland, pianist David Gilmore and bassist Massimo Biolcati. After the show an on-stage interview will be held with Ravi by a leading jazz expert. Tickets to the show cost $35-$40.