Thank You to John Coltrane features the duo of British saxophonist Paul Dunmall and US-born drummer Tony Bianco, an association that dates back to the late 90's when they recorded Utoma Trio (Emanem, 2000) along with Simon Picard, followed by their duo I You (FMR, 2001). Since then, they have frequently played and recorded together — and it shows in the empathy they display here, as they match each other step for step, throughout. This album is Dunmall's personal tribute to Coltrane, who the Briton acknowledges as a musical and spiritual inspiration throughout his life. As he approaches his own sixtieth birthday, Dunmall says he finally feels he can play Trane's music as a thank-you to him. The album consists of six Coltrane compositions, plus the title piece written by Dunmall.
The Coltrane compositions mainly concentrate on later pieces but — at Bianco's suggestion — also take in the earlier "Giant Steps" and "Naima" from the same 1960 album. Dunmall and Bianco use those compositions as launch pads for their own improvisations, with no attempt to replicate or mirror the original versions, instead treating them like later pieces. The result is that their readings are tumultuous outpourings which make the 1960 originals sound tame by comparison. Thrilling stuff. The duo achieve the same results with other pieces; even the stately-paced "Alabama" seems imbued with greater verve; partly this is a result of the duo format which allows both the saxophone and drums free rein together, rather than one soloing while the other takes a back seat.
Dunmall's title track fits seamlessly into the album, its theme good enough to be mistaken for one of Coltrane's own. And it features a saxophone solo worthy of its dedicatee. The album's closing piece is also its highlight; fittingly, it is a twenty-eight minute, tour-de-force version of "Expression", the last piece Coltrane recorded before his death. Both players give it their all, pouring everything they can into it as a tribute to the great man. The ultimate test of any tribute album is whether it sends the listener back to the original recordings with fresh ears. Thank You to John Coltrane effortlessly passes that test, and is a great credit to Dunmall, Bianco and, of course, to Trane himself.
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