Ravi Coltrane to play Temple tonight as musicians revisit 1966 session

Ravi Coltrane and an all-star jazz ensemble will perform at Temple University on Thursday night. The concert marks the 60th anniversary of John Coltrane’s final performance in Philadelphia. The original event took place in Mitten Hall on November 11, 1966. It is part of Coltrane 100 Philly, a citywide event for the saxophonist’s centennial year.

Two musicians from the 1966 band returned to campus Wednesday for the Jazz Philadelphia Summit: Offering Edition. Dr. Steven Knoblauch, a saxophonist, and Robert Kenyatta, a percussionist, discussed their time playing with the late legend. Knoblauch was 18 when he joined the band for that night.

Knoblauch recalled receiving a direct invitation to improvise during the set. 'After [Alice Coltrane's] solo, Trane came over to me, and said, 'Do you want to play a solo?' I said, 'Yeah,'' Knoblauch said. He performed on 'My Favorite Things,' a track that closes the album 'Offering: Live at Temple University.'

The recording was captured by Temple radio station WRTI and broadcast live. It circulated privately for years before a commercial release in 2014. That release required the approval of Coltrane’s family. Kenyatta noted the surprise of the moment, stating, 'Oh, I was shocked. Because I didn't know that was happening, or anybody even recorded it.'

Dr. Anyabwile Love, a Black Studies professor at Temple, moderated a panel on the recording’s place in Coltrane’s career. She described the album as a peak of his experimental phase. 'He's stretching out the music. In the recordings, he's screaming into the microphone and banging on his chest,' Love said. She added that the performance represents Coltrane 'offering to the creator.'

Kenyatta focused on the musician’s personal demeanor during the session. 'He was one of the greatest musicians that lived on this planet, but he was very humble,' Kenyatta said. The summit aimed to use Coltrane’s legacy to prompt current artists to consider their contributions to future generations of musicians.

A companion exhibit from the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection opened for visitors at the event. Curator Shawn Theodore displayed rare photographs, handwritten manuscripts, and a carrying case Coltrane used for his music. Theodore highlighted the personal quotes written by Coltrane that accompany the photos, describing them as a spiritual connection to the work.

Knoblauch remembered a physical gesture from the end of the 1966 performance. 'He gave me a big bear hug,' Knoblauch said. 'It seemed like I did the right thing.' The event concludes Thursday with Ravi Coltrane taking the stage in Mitten Hall.