Josh Kemp

A collaboration between Josh Kemp and pianist Alex Hutton exploring the lyrical and spiritual music of John Coltrane, including his masterpiece - the Love Supreme suite. Performances are accompanied with video projections inspired by the meaning and message of Coltrane's music. This performance is part of a UK tour by the band. A Love Supreme is Coltrane's masterpiece, a work of deep spiritual power, representing a struggle for purity, an expression of gratitude, and an acknowledgement that the musician's talent comes from a higher source.

A suite with four parts: "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm", the music ranges from hard bop to modal and free jazz in an epic aural poem to man's place in God's plan. The album's hymn-like quality transcends the normal limits of jazz genre, to allow for an intensely personal and moving communication with the audience.

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Rolling Stone magazine called it a "legendary album-long hymn of praise" and stated, "the indelible four-note theme of the first movement, 'Acknowledgement,' is the humble foundation of the suite. But Coltrane's majestic, often violent blowing (famously described as 'sheets of sound') is never self-aggrandizing. Aloft with his classic quartet...Coltrane soars with nothing but gratitude and joy. You can't help but go with him." 

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This performance by Josh Kemp’s Coltrane Project is the result of a deep study of the original material, yielding an authentic yet personal recreation of the Love Supreme suite. The full programme emphasises the lyrical and communicative music of John Coltrane and is accompanied by a video backdrop of images of Coltrane and including real-time scrolling of the words of the Coltrane’s prayer for the fourth movement ‘Psalm’ which provide the basis for the improvisation, and carry the meaning and message of the whole work.

Line Up: Josh Kemp - Tenor Sax/Bass Clarinet, Alex Hutton – Piano, Dave Mannington - Double Bass & Dave Storey - Drums 

Watch them live in this Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCeHRab61QE