Coltrane 100: Lovano, Aldana, Makhathini, Oh, Watts

Coltrane 100: Lovano, Aldana, Makhathini, Oh, Watts at Barbican Hall

Coltrane 100 (100%) Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh, Jeff "Tain" Watts (100%) Both Directions at Once (75%)

2026 marks the centennial of the birth of iconic saxophonist John Coltrane. Coltrane 100 brings together saxophonists Joe Lovano and Melissa Aldana, pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts for a collective tribute reflecting Coltrane’s enduring influence across generations, geographies, and musical traditions.

Joe Lovano, a central figure in modern jazz for more than three decades, brings a deep connection to the post-Coltrane saxophone lineage. Melissa Aldana contributes a distinctive contemporary voice shaped by close engagement with the jazz canon and a focus on narrative and identity. Nduduzo Makhathini draws on South African musical and spiritual traditions, as well as the legacy of McCoy Tyner, to articulate a highly personal pianistic language. Linda May Han Oh adds a globally informed perspective as a bassist whose work spans ensemble writing, film, and collaborative performance. Jeff “Tain” Watts brings decades of experience and rhythmic authority forged alongside many of the defining artists of modern jazz.

Joe Lovano states, “This quintet will honor Coltrane’s compositions as a springboard to explore and express ourselves. We do not seek to recreate, but rather to create in the spirit of Coltrane.”