COLTRANE 100 to be Presented at New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, John Patitucci, and Jeff “Tain” Watts will celebrate the life and music of John Coltrane.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Nov. 12, 2025
New Jersey Performing Arts Center will commemorate the 100th anniversary of one of the most esteemed jazz performers of our era, John Coltrane. The "Coltrane 100: Both Directions at Once" performance will take place on Saturday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., featuring the remarkable talents of Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, John Patitucci, and Jeff “Tain” Watts as they celebrate the life and music of John Coltrane.
It has been a century since the birth of John Coltrane, the groundbreaking jazz icon whose work has inspired and influenced countless musicians across generations. Coltrane once described his musical philosophy to fellow saxophonist Wayne Shorter, likening it to “[starting] a sentence in the middle, and then going to the beginning and the end of it at the same time… both directions at once.”
This centennial celebration will showcase saxophonists Joe Lovano and Melissa Aldana, pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts as they pay tribute to Coltrane. They will explore “both directions at once” through modern interpretations of classic Coltrane repertoire along with original compositions inspired by his enduring legacy.
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