Voters for the Latin Grammy Awards know the story – saxophonist David Sanchez is the real deal.

So, we applaud those voters for awarding Sanchez’s excellent 2004 release, “Coral,” with one of those bright, fancy trophies. More importantly, we can’t wait to applaud Sanchez himself when he returns to the Bay Area to play a four-night stand, Oct. 18-21, at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square.

Showtimes are 8 and 10 p.m. today through Saturday; 7 and 9 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10-$20. Yoshi’s is at 510 Embarcadero West in Oakland. Call 510-238-9200 or visit www.yoshis.com.

Nope, I’m not talking about the Brad Mehldau trio, although that’s a very good candidate for the honor. The best trio in jazz might well be the Esbjörn Svensson trio (E.S.T.). The Swedish troupe is just about ready to release a new album, “Tuesday Wonderland,” which is due out April 10. They’ve also announced a spring tour, that checks into Yoshi’s at Jack London Square on May 22-23. Don’t miss these shows. For more information, check out www.yoshis.com.

Kurt Elling is arguably the most amazing vocalist on the planet.

The 39-year-old Chicago native, who is widely considered to the finest male singer in jazz, is a master at scatting and a genius when it comes to vocalese. He can sing faster than the hottest hip-hop star can rap and he easily holds notes that would have other singers gasping for air.

One could search through his entire six-CD back catalog looking for technical flaws to his voice and still not come up with enough to fill a thimble. He’s pretty much a superhuman vocalist.

Of course, even Superman had one weakness. Elling’s kryptonite, oddly enough, is that he might have too much technique and not enough heart. That was the one thing that dogged his concert on Monday night (Feb. 26) at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz and will likely factor again when the vocalist performs Thursday through Sunday (March 1-4) at Yoshi’s in Oakland.

Think of the greatest singers in modern history. Whether we’re talking about Billie Holiday and Barbra Streisand or Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, they all complemented sheer technical ability with a very “human” element in their music. They were able to make us feel (and believe) their pain as well as their joy in the songs. We identified with their voices and, in turn, felt like they were singing for us.

Conversely, it’s mighty hard for a listener to connect with Elling, who often uses his voice as a jazz instrument to deliver high-flying leads that might leave a hotshot saxophonist blue in the face. The result is that fans will surely be impressed with Elling’s vocal ability, but they might not be moved by it.

The vocal star, who was the artist-in-residence at last year’s Monterey Jazz Festival, is touring in advance of his seventh disc, “Nightmoves,” which is due in stores in early April. No, rock fans, it’s not a jazz tribute to the great Bob Seger _ it’s a conceptual album that takes listeners on an overnight journey. All of the songs are set in the hours between dusk and dawn.

Based on the selections from the new album he performed in Santa Cruz, “Nightmoves” should further establish Elling as the premiere male jazz vocalist working today. Don’t be surprised if it also nabs the singer his seventh Grammy nomination. Thus far, he’s perfect in that regard _ six albums and six nominations.

Fronting a superb band of drummer Willie Jones, pianist Laurence Hobgood and bassist Rob Amster, Elling looked Cary Grant cool as he appeared onstage with his hair slicked back and wearing a black velvet smoking jacket.

He opened the show with an epic run through the standard “My Foolish Heart,” which Elling delivered so nicely on 1999’s “Live in Chicago.” During the course of that one song, the star showed more chops than most merely mortal singers display in entire careers.

One of Elling’s many strengths is his ability to meld two songs into one number. He showcased that prowess to great affect when he masterfully folded together works by two of the 20th century’s finest composers _ Irving Berlin’s “Change Partners” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “If You Never Come to Me.” (He also combines those two pieces on “Nightmoves.”)

He did a fine job in taking us through the night and dealing out such tracks from the new album as “The Waking,” “And We Will Fly,” “The Sleepers” and “Body and Soul.” The highlight came with the singer’s bright, hopeful take on Duke Ellington’s “I Like the Sunrise.” Still, there was something missing from his rendition that fans would find in abundance from listening to Sinatra or Nina Simone cover the same track.

It wasn’t anything technical _ it was something else. Call it heart or simply the ability to sell a song. Whatever it is, it’s enough to currently keep Elling out of any discussion about all-time great vocalists.

Kurt Elling in concert
When: 8 and 10 p.m. March 1-3; 7 and 9 p.m. March 4
Where: Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland
Tickets: $10-$20
Call: (510) 238-9200 or visit www.yoshis.com.

Vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Chick Corea still remember the day in 1972 when a music industry exec approached them about recording an album of duets.

“We were sort of skeptical that anybody would want to listen to a whole hour of just vibes and piano,” Burton recalled during a recent phone interview from his home in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

All doubt was erased upon the release of the duo’s “Crystal Silence,” a work that was quickly dubbed a jazz masterpiece.

More significantly, at least for our purposes, is the fact that people obviously still want to listen to “just vibes and piano.” Ample proof to that statement was dished up on Saturday night (Feb. 17) when Cal Performances hosted the two jazz giants at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley.

Burton and Corea, touring in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the release of “Crystal Silence,” impressed the enthusiastic local crowd with two sets full of superb jazz tunes.

The 64-year-old vibraphonist and 65-year-old pianist have a special relationship _ one that blossomed the moment they went into the studio to record “Crystal Silence” and has continued through five subsequent albums.

Burton said during our interview that the pair basically recorded the entire “Crystal Silence” album in one take _ with only one song requiring a second run through. Something just immediately clicked between the two musicians and they were able to finish the record in mere hours (as opposed to days or weeks).

A similar type of magic was present in the duo’s performance in Berkeley. The playing, especially the musical exchanges, was near flawless. It’s almost like these two guys were born to play together.

Burton and Corea sounded even stronger in concert than they do on disc. There were no weak _ or even mediocre _ moments during the show. Still, the definite highlights came with the “Crystal Silence” material.

Given the occasion, however, fans were probably surprised by the set list. The duo treated the concert like a gig that might as well of taken place during the 33rd, 34th or any other less-glamorous anniversary of “Crystal Silence.” The twosome dedicated much of the show to exploring other records _ which probably came as a disappointment to those hoping for a straight run through the entire landmark album.

Burton and Corea focused a good portion of the first set on their most-recent album of duets, 1997’s “Native Sense,” opening the show with a wonderful triple-shot of “Love Castle,” “Native Sense” and “Duende.”

Burton was an absolute marvel to behold, swinging two mallets in each hand with such great speed that it often appeared that hummingbirds were hovering above his vibraphone. Corea, who took home two more trophies at the most recent Grammy Awards, was equally impressive, fingering out melodies that melted the listeners.

Yet, again, it wasn’t what they did separately that ranked as most impressive. It was how they performed together, in such perfect harmony, as the music teetered between them as if on a well-balanced seesaw while they continued through such tracks as the tribute tune “Bud Powell.”

The twosome ventured into “Crystal Silence” territory in the second set, opening with the Steve Swallow-composition “Falling Grace” and later delivering an inspired version of the title track.

At the end of the set, Burton and Corea were given a standing ovation by the crowd. The audience then demanded _ and received _ a two-song encore from the players.

I guess even two hours of “just vibes and piano” isn’t enough.

To properly understand that Chris Botti is a different kind of a jazz artist, one needs only to look at his merchandise table.

There, amid such regular concert souvenirs as CDs, DVDs and tour T-shirts, you’ll find one particular item that would make straight-ahead jazz fans roll their eyes. It’s a souvenir thong _ something that you definitely won’t find for sale at, say, a McCoy Tyner gig.

Furthermore, written across the crotch of the skimpy underwear, in boldly capitalized pink letters, is the phrase “BOTTI CALL.”

Clever.

Fortunately, Botti has the songs to go with the thongs. He’s based his career on a mix of crafty marketing and solid recordings (most of which can lumped in the “smooth jazz” or “pop-jazz” realms).

And it’s worked for the 44-year-old trumpeter. Over the past few years, he’s become one of contemporary instrumental music’s biggest stars. That’s why on Friday night (Feb. 16) he was able to fill the 3,000-seat Paramount Theatre _ a place that is far too large for most jazz musicians, even big name ones, to play.

In Oakland, Botti lived up to the hype, as well as his billing as jazz music’s pop star, as he delighted the crowd to a 90-minute concert rich in stellar musicianship, great songs and pure personality.

Botti’s road to major-headliner status has been quite extraordinary.

“As many of you know, I grew up in the jazz capital of the world, Corvallis, Ore.,” the star joked of the town best known as home to Oregon State University. “Go Beavers!”

He later moved to the real jazz capital of the world, New York City, where he joined Frank Sinatra’s orchestra and then landed a gig in Paul Simon’s touring group. He really made a name for himself as a member of Sting’s band in the late-’90s, which nicely set the stage for his solo career.

The fact that Botti could pass for Jude Law’s brother and is considered quite the heartthrob certainly hasn’t hindered his career. (It also probably hasn’t hurt the sale of thongs at the merch table.)

Botti is, however, more than just another pretty face. His wondrous soft touch, especially on romantic ballads, is really what makes this trumpeter such an easy sell to fans.

Fittingly, he went right to that strength at the start of the show _ opening the 12-song set with a gorgeous interpretation of Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and following with the beautiful standard “When I Fall in Love,” which is also the title track to Botti’s 2004 CD.

Botti then turned to the songbook of his hero, Miles Davis, for a gentle spin through “Flamenco Sketches” (from the master trumpeter’s landmark 1959 date “Kind of Blue”).

Despite having to deal with a few technical difficulties, Botti sounded terrific as he continued to mine the jazz vault for suitable standards. The trumpeter also did an excellent job with the evening’s sole original composition, “Streets Ahead” (from Botti’s 2001 effort “Night Sessions”). His all-star band _ featuring keyboardist Alan Pasqua, drummer Billy Kilson, bassist James Genus and guitarist Mark Whitfield _ was equally sensational.

There were too distinct highlights during the Oakland show.

The first came when Botti, Pasqua and Whitfield softly collaborated on a heartfelt version of the Leonard Cohen masterpiece “Hallelujah,” which the trumpeter also included on the 2002 Christmas album “December.” Botti dedicated the number to the late Jeff Buckley, the vocalist who recorded what many believe to be the song’s signature version.

The second highlight occurred when Botti jumped down into the crowd near the end of the show to perform “My Funny Valentine.” This classic Rodgers-Hart number, which always seems to work exceedingly well in the hands of a trumpeter, was an absolute showstopper in Oakland.

It’s not often one sees a jazz performer actually venture out into the crowd during a show _ in fact, it’s an action that would probably cause Miles Davis to spin in his grave. Then again _ as the thongs will show _ Chris Botti is a different kind of a jazz artist.

Junior Walker (1931-1995) was a soul/R&B music legend. Leading his acclaimed backing band, the All Stars, the Arkansas-born sax king became one of Motown’s signature acts in the 1960s.

Walker is best known for the song “Shotgun,” but he had a boatload of other hits, including “Do the Boomerang,” “Shake and Finger Pop,” “I’m a Roadrunner,” “Pucker Up Buttercup” and “What Does It Take to Win Your Love.”

To honor Walker’s legacy, acclaimed jazz musician Don Byron has formed a new group dedicated to the music of the soul legend. That might sound odd to some, given that Byron is known mainly for playing the clarinet _ not the saxophone. Yet, this cat can wail on tenor sax as well. And he’ll prove it on Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 19 and 20) as he leads his Walker tribute band into Yoshi’s at Jack London Square in Oakland.

Joining Byron will be vocalist Dean Bowman, guitarist David Gilmore (don’t get confused _ the Pink Floyd guitarist spells his last name differently), B-3 organ player George Colligan, bassist Brad Jones and drummer Rodney Holmes.

Showtimes are 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 early shows; $12 late. Yoshi’s is at 510 Embarcadero West. Call (510) 238-9200 or visit www.yoshis.com.

At one point during his sensational opening night concert at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, Branford Marsalis took his performance to that rarefied level that mere jazz mortals can only dream of reaching.

It occurred during the third selection on Monday (Feb. 12) as the 46-year-old saxophonist blew a spiraling soprano lead that sent shivers down the backs of everyone in the sold-out house. He was evidently feeling it too. When the solo came to its glorious conclusion, and the song ended, Marsalis staggered up to the microphone looking a bit dazed and confused. He was still caught up in the moment, which made announcing the song’s title a bit difficult.

“What the hell was that? What did we just play?” Marsalis turned to ask his band mates. “Oh, yeah, it was `Sir Roderick, the Aloof.”’

That was the one moment at the Oakland club when Marsalis seemed the most human and, ironically, the most superhuman at the same time. Like his younger brother, trumpeter Wynton, this Marsalis often comes across like the perfect portrait of the modern-day jazz musician. He presents an image that is so cool, so in control, that it’s hard to imagine him every making a misstep either in concert or, moreover, during his entire career.

That image has helped him become of one of the most famous jazz players in the business. Yet, it’s when that image breaks down, and he really lets himself go, that Marsalis makes his best music on the live stage.

That happened a few times during the first gig of this four-night stand at Yoshi’s, which concludes Thursday (Feb. 15), but never more dramatically then with “Sir Roderick.”

That original tune was the only selection offered up during the six-song set that hailed from Marsalis’ most recent offering, 2006’s stellar “Braggtown.” One wishes he would have delved more deeply into that work. In particular, it would have been nice to hear the Grammy-nominated tune “Hope,” which was beat out at Sunday’s award show by the late Michael Brecker’s “Some Skunk Funk” in the category of Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.

Marsalis was leading his regular quartet, which features drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, bassist Eric Revis and pianist Joey Calderazzo. There’s no doubt that this foursome ranks as one of the finest working bands in jazz.

What makes this quartet so special is how well the players read one another and anticipate each other’s movements. That only comes with time, which is something this quartet has in abundance. In a era when groups change members as frequently as Taco Bell adds new menu items, the fact that Marsalis has been able to keep this unit together for roughly a decade is downright amazing.

Correspondingly, most of the highlights of this show _ with the notable exception of Marsalis’ lead in “St. Roderick” _ were related to group performances. Usually, it’s just the other way around, with individual solos drawing the most gasps from the crowd.

Not wasting any time, the group ran like Mercury through the opening number, Watt’s “The Impaler,” which the drummer recorded on his own 1999 CD, the cleverly titled “Citizen Tain.” The song featured some mesmerizing exchanges between its composer and Calderazzo.

Switching from tenor to soprano, Marsalis called for another tune written by one of his band members _ Calderazzo’s “The Lonely Swan.” The song, which the quartet recorded on Marsalis’ 2004 CD “Eternal,” started off slow, drenched with soft piano passages that fell like the rain outside, and gradually built toward a mid-tempo Latin-infused number.

Following the free-jazz fandango of the next number, Marsalis’ own “St. Roderick,” the band pulled a U-turn and headed into gentler, more familiar territory with a fine take on Thelonious’ “Monk’s Dream.”

Marsalis stepped to the forefront again with a rousing lead during a main-set-closing version of John Coltrane’s “Blue Train,” which included a playful quote from “The Girl from Ipanema.” The band returned for an encore and played another “Tain” track, the splendid “Mr. J.J.” _ spiced up with a visit to “Sweet Home Chicago.”

To borrow from another J.J. _ TV’s Jimmie “J.J.” Walker _ this show was “dyn-o-mite!”

Write jazz critic Jim Harrington at jharrington@angnewspapers.com. For more jazz coverage, visit www.insidebayarea.com/jimharrington.

If you go . . .
Branford Marsalis in concert
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Feb. 13-15
Where: Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland
Tickets: $26
Call: (510) 238-9200 or visit www.yoshis.com.

Also: 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at Jackson Hall at U.C. Davis. Tickets are $16-$42. Call (866) 754-ARTS or visit www.mondaviarts.org.

Ignacio Berroa has spent most of his impressive career as a sideman, drumming behind such jazz greats as McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and _ most famously _ Dizzy Gillespie.

Now, it’s his turn to be the star.

The 53-year-old Havana, Cuba-born musician finally released his debut record, “Codes,” on the legendary Blue Note label in May and the reviews were almost uniformly positive. The disc has also been nominated for a Grammy, in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album, at Sunday’s award show in Los Angeles.

Berroa is currently supporting “Codes” with a short West Coast swing, which included stops at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square in Oakland on Feb. 6 and 7 and a show at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz tonight Feb. 8.

During opening night at Yoshi’s, the former sideman delivered a mighty convincing argument as to why his name deserves to be on marquees. The concert, however, did have some minor problems _ all of which should be sorted out as the tour progresses.

The show was only the second gig for Berroa’s new quartet, which features bassist Carlos Del Puerto Jr., pianist Robert Rodriguez and saxophonist Ben Wendel. Correspondingly, the music didn’t gel as well as one would have hoped _ especially in comparison to the fluidness found on “Codes.” It’s easy to forecast that the band, with a few more sets under its belt, will be in better shape once it hits Santa Cruz.

The drummer has assembled a young cast of players _ all of whom are between the ages of 29 to 31. Not surprisingly, level of experience played a big hand in the Yoshi’s performance. Berroa, the wily veteran, was the very picture of confidence from the moment the bell rang, while the other players seemed a bit tentative at the start.

In what was a debatable call, Berroa immediately thrust the spotlight on his fellow musicians during the first selection, “Matrix.” The number, a Chick Corea composition that also kicks off “Codes,” was arranged so that all of the sidemen took leads before the drummer. The result were some competent, though hardly invigorating, solos that couldn’t compete with what Berroa would later offer.

After that rocky start, things started to improve as the bandleader continued to follow the “Codes” track list and called for a spicy version of the original “Joao Su Merced.” Wendel, switching from tenor to soprano sax, opened the song with a lovely lead that deserved a better round of applause then it received. Rodriguez followed with a fleet-fingered piano run that helped get the crowd’s attention.

With the third tune, Antonio Carlos Jobim’s beautiful “Inutil Paissagem” (“Useless Landscapes”), it was like an entirely different band _ one that had been playing together for decades _ suddenly took the stage. In particular, Del Puerto Jr. exhibited a soft, sensitive touch that was just perfect for this dreamy ballad. Likewise, Wendel, having traded back to tenor, delivered some exquisitely heartfelt work.

While the sidemen perked up at various points along the way, Berroa was on top of his game throughout the evening. There are good reasons why he’s considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of modern times _ and they were fully on display during this set.

Looking sharp in a lavender long-sleeve shirt and his trademark red-rimmed glasses, Berroa put on an absolute clinic in proper jazz drumming as the band continued through the upbeat “Partido Alto” and the set-ending “Woody `N’ You.”

What’s so impressive about Berroa is how he manages to work within a song’s framework. He’ll rock a listener’s world with a solo that sounds like it’s being played by a guy with six hands _ which is something many jazz drummers can do. Yet, he does it while never losing site of what the full band is trying to accomplish with the song _ which is something many jazz drummers don’t do often enough. In that regard, Berroa definitely has the credentials to be a topnotch bandleader.

More significantly, that’s just one of many reasons why Berroa appears on his way to becoming a star.

Bobby Hutcherson, San Mateo County’s own vibraphone colossus, always receives plenty of love when he performs in the Bay Area.

Thus, it wasn’t surprising when one fan called out a certain request while Hutcherson was onstage at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square on Thursday, Jan. 25.

“Turn Bobby up!” the fan cried.

The surprise came with the demand that followed from another crowd member.

“Turn the drummer down!” bellowed one man with questionable manners.

At that point, the bandleader, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, stepped in to defend drummer Jamire Williams.

“Watch out Oakland,” he said in a way that might give Clint Eastwood chills.

Indeed, Oakland, watch out _ because Garrett is back in town. This time around, the supremely talented sax-slinger has brought with him an impressive posse of players that also includes bassist Nat Reeves and pianist Benito Gonzalez.

During the opening set of the four-night run, which continues through Jan. 28, Garrett and gang came charging out of the gate with a passionate take on the title track to 2006’s “Beyond the Wall.”

Some jazzers take their time to warm up, easing into the first number and letting the intensity build slowly. That’s not how this crew went about things. Instead, it was like one of those tornados that West Coast folks are lucky to just read about _ something that strikes out of nowhere and knocks down the house.

Garrett’s first note was delivered with gale wind force and his playing kept growing more powerful as he boxed his way through a roughly 10-minute lead. Hutcherson had the misfortune to follow that lead and _ local favorite or not _ he couldn’t match Garrett’s intensity. Instead, his vibraphone spotlight gave the crowd members a much-needed chance to catch their breath.

The respite was short-lived, however, as Gonzalez stepped up and rolled out a meaty lead. The Venezuelan-born pianist, whose early influences include McCoy Tyner and Chick Corea, is a tremendous player. He brings a certain rough-and-tumble roadhouse rock feel, more than slightly reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis, which fits perfectly with Garrett’s more muscular works like “Beyond the Wall.”

After 20 minutes, the quintet finally wrapped up the first number and moved directly into a diversely appealing take on “Gwoka.” That song can also be found on “Beyond the Wall,” a work that is nominated at this year’s Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

The 46-year-old Garrett is a player with many sides _ and he displayed a plethora of them on “Gwoka.” His sax work was playful and bright to start, turning funkier as the tune progressed, and eventually moving to pure muscle. The latter meshed particularly well with the fury that Williams unleashed on the drums.

Hutcherson delivered some of his best work on this tune as he played the straight man to the G-men (Garrett and Gonzalez). Refusing to get caught up in a contest of speed or strength, the wily vet relied on his smarts as he added small, yet significant, bits of color to the music. It’s known in jazz as “comping” _ and few do it as well as Hutcherson.

The vibraphone king was also in fine spirits on this night. He didn’t even seem to mind when one fan showed the audacity to shout out a demand to know his age.

“Let me answer like this,” joked Hutcherson, who actually turns 66 today, “I’ve got my Medicare card.”

The vibraphonist would later leave the stage, accompanied by Reeves and Williams, which allowed Garrett and Gonzalez the opportunity to duet on “Akatonbo,” “Arirang” and “Tsubasawo Kudasai.” That gorgeous trio of folk songs, known collectively as “Asian Medley,” hails from Garrett’s 2002 CD, “Happy People.” Not surprisingly, they fit in seamlessly with the selections from “Beyond the Wall,” an album full of original compositions inspired by traditional Asian tunes.

The full quintet would return to the stage for the fine “Beyond the Wall” number “Kiss to the Skies,” which closed the set. In all, it was another sensational outing for one of the greatest saxophonists in the business.

Info:
Kenny Garrett in concert
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Jan. 26-27; 7 and 9 p.m. Jan. 28
Where: Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland
Tickets: $14-$26
Call: (510) 238-9200 or visit www.yoshis.com.

From the publicist:

ALICE COLTRANE
August 27, 1937 – January 12, 2007

Jazz pianist Alice Coltrane, widow of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, died on Friday, January 12th at the West Hills Hospital near Los Angeles, California. She was 69.
Mrs. Coltrane was born Alice Lucille McLeod in Detroit, Michigan August 27, 1937. As a young girl, she studied classical piano and began playing organ in local churches. Bud Powell was one of her early teachers. She played piano with her brother, Ernest Farrow, in several Detroit clubs before moving to New York in the early 1960’s to pursue a career in jazz. There, while playing at Birdland with vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, she met John Coltrane. They later married, and she performed in his quartet beginning in 1966 until his death in July of 1967.

Mrs. Coltrane continued her career and was a noted jazz artist and composer throughout the 1970’s and into the 1980’s. She recorded works for piano, organ, and harp as a leader on the albums: Monastic Trio, Ptah the El Daoud, Journey in Satchidananda, and Universal Consciousness. She performed and recorded with Lucky Thompson, Kenny Clarke, Pharoah Sanders, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Jimmy Garrison, Charlie Haden, Roy Haynes, Reggie Workman, Jack DeJohnette, Carlos Santana and many others.

Following a long hiatus from performing, Mrs. Coltrane had recently staged concerts in Paris, Los Angeles, Ann Arbor, Newark, and San Francisco, appearing with her sons Ravi and Oran. These performances followed the critically acclaimed 2004 release of “Translinear Light,” her first studio album in 27 years.

From the beginning, she regarded her music as a part of a greater spiritual journey. This path would eventually lead her to Eastern religious studies. In 1975 she founded an ashram, the Vedantic Center, which later relocated to the Santa Monica Mountains and is currently known as the Sai Anantam Ashram. Alice Coltrane, also known as Swami Turiyasangitananda, led her students in meditation and devotional studies. In 2001 with her daughter Michelle, she founded the John Coltrane Foundation to encourage the advancement of music performances in jazz and to award scholarships to young musicians.

Mrs. Coltrane’s passing was related to respiratory failure. She is survived by her sons Ravi and Oran, her daughter Michelle and five grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the Coltrane family asks that you please send donations to the following charities:

The John Coltrane Foundation - www.johncoltranecom
21777 Ventura Blvd., Suite 253 Woodland Hills CA 91367

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital - www.stjude.org

Musicare Foundation - www.grammy.com/MusiCares
156 W. 56th St. Suite 1701, New York NY 10019

Habitat for Humanity - www.habitat.org/donation

A Public memorial service will be announced at a later date.