John Coltrane 50th Memorial Concert CD released

In 1987 Alan Skidmore was honoured to be invited to play at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon at a John Coltrane memorial concert on the same bill as McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard and Elvin Jones who were regulars in Coltrane’s various groups. That concert celebrated his music 20 years after his death.

Then on 17 July 2017 Alan Skidmore joined the Paul Dunmall Sun Ship Quartet at Café Oto in Dalston, London in a special concert to commemorate on the day of the 50th anniversary of John Coltrane’s passing.

The evening was recorded and a CD featuring the performances from that evening has just been released on Mark Wastell’s Confront Recordings Core label. In addition to the Paul Dunmall and Alan Skidmore sets there is an opening piece from a newly formed trio of Danish flautist Julie Kjaer, Ståle Liavik Solberg a percussionist from Norway and Mark Wastell also on percussion. This trio also joins the Dunmall/Skidmore ensemble for a finale of Coltrane’s Ascension after all the songs from Sun Ship have been performed. This whole double CD set makes for a great listen and a fitting commemoration of Coltrane’s unique jazz legacy.

And on 17 July 2019 Alan will again return to Café Oto with his own quartet: Steve Melling at the piano, Andy Cleyndert on the double bass and Miles Levin at the drums with saxophonist Ed Jones making a special guest appearance. It will without doubt be another night to remember with the presence of John Coltrane inspiring the performances. You’d better book early.