Drum boogie: Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane brings more than distinguished family history to his touring trio

Late to the two-night party by virtue of transportation difficulties, Ravi Coltrane's man in the percussion chair,

Ravi Coltrane leans into his work. 

Ele Salif Howell, got the boss' indulgence to command the spotlight to end the first set Saturday at the Jazz Kitchen.

Coltrane's decision to "give the drummer some" in compensation for his forced absence from the bandstand Friday seems to accord with the saxophonist's genial nature. 

In many senses, the vehicle for Howell's extended exhibition was an inspired choice: "Los Caballos" by the bandleader's mother, Alice Coltrane. The pianist-composer carved out a niche of her own as the widow of John Coltrane, whom Ravi acknowledged by leading the band through the trailblazing saxophonist's "Expression" just before the set-closer.

Though Alice Coltrane's original practically puts percussion in the front line, Howell's solo seemed disproportionate to me. It did have virtuosity, in terms of speed and technique. Perhaps also worth acknowledging is Howell's imaginative use of timbre around the kit. For example, at the risk of reminding people of the old Saturday Night Live skit focusing on "more cowbell," Howell's use of that instrument was just enough. 

He provided effective punctuation with it in the mix. With lightning speed and a tapestry of clearly defined
strokes, he showed tireless ingenuity in bringing out the full range of sounds at his disposal. To make my point  clear, Ravi Coltrane's decision to allow Howell extensive display showed great respect to his young sideman. I just have a problem with drum solos thrust into dominant positions.

Ele Salif Howell deserved his place in the sun.

While I'm focusing on the sidemen, keyboardist Gadi Lehavi deserves a shoutout for solo spots that always seemed appropriate and wide-ranging. They were invariably smoothly linked with his harmonic and melodic responsibilities to the ensemble. Synthesizer and piano alike had worthy prominence either alone or in combination.

When the young musicians were required to make long rubato episodes cohere, they did so splendidly. Ravi Coltrane, whether he picked up the tenor, the soprano, or the latter's cozy cousin, the sopranino, got the support he needed to be the first among equals. In jazz, rubato has to do with playing that deliberately avoids meter and the establishment of a regular tempo, which usually emerges at length. Such episodes never seemed to meander when this band conveyed them. 

With rubato, any notion of "swing" must be inferred from the rhythmic interplay of the musicians involved. There was plenty of that on Saturday night. Coltrane's communication was direct, hinting at no need to go to "the outside," which his father did as memorably as anyone. There's more than one way to represent a legacy, after all. 

In starting a tour of two-and-a-half weeks here, Coltrane and his trio paid honor to the Indianapolis jazz community and the host club in particular.

[Photos by Rob Ambrose]