SELFLESSNESS: THE MUSIC OF JOHN COLTRANE
Dave Liebman and Expansions. Dot Time Records.
The storied legacy of the great saxophonist-composer John Coltrane is in fine hands in this tribute to him by National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Dave Liebman and his group, Expansions.
One of the things I like about this disc is that — like Trane himself — it is bold and ambitious at times, but also has plenty of soothing, grooving, calming moments that capture your imagination and help your mind drift away.
The most recognizable song is a new rendition of the famous song in The Sound of Music, “My Favorite Things,” a piece written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers that Coltrane himself redid in a jazzy format.
Liebman, now 75, first saw Coltrane perform at New York’s Birdland Jazz Club in 1962 when he was 15 years old.
“Once you see this light,” Liebman wrote in his autobiography, “you can never turn away from it, though you may try. I went to see Coltrane from then on, anytime I could.”
Coltrane died in 1967 at age 40, 55 years ago next July 17. Yet his work continues to inspire countless musicians.
Liebman is one of them, and did a nice job with this tribute.
It steps away and offers something fresh and innovative. It is not in any way a note-for-note recital of how Coltrane performed and, in fact, offers beautiful solos by other members of the band as well as Liebman on soprano sax for eight songs and one song on wooden flute.
Although all songs were originally written by Coltrane, it’s fair to say this is an album inspired by him and not one meant to replicate his work. It’s the latest of several tributes Liebman has made to Coltrane, the ones previous being with other musicians. This is the first with his own group.
First Published December 22, 2021, 2:00 p.m.
