2026 marks the centennial of iconic saxophonist John Coltrane's birth. Coltrane 100: Both Directions at Once offers audiences a rare chance to join this historic moment. An all-star lineup, each from different backgrounds — saxophonists Joe Lovano and Melissa Aldana; pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts — join together to pay tribute to one of the most inspirational artists, whose creativity and spirituality has influenced generations of musicians. Each member of this group stands on the threshold of the future, fulfilling their musical vision looking forward.

Coltrane once explained his musical aspirations to fellow saxophonist Wayne Shorter as, “starting a sentence in the middle, and then going to the beginning and the end of it at the same time... both directions at once.” The Coltrane 100 band looks Both Directions at Once with modern interpretations of classic Coltrane repertoire from throughout his career, plus originals inspired by his legacy.

Joe Lovano

Grammy-winning saxophonist, composer and producer Joe Lovano is fearless in finding new modes of artistic expression. With a Grammy Win for his  52nd Street Themes and 14 other nominations, he has won DownBeat Magazine ’s Critics and Readers Polls countless times as Tenor Saxophonist, Musician of the Year, Jazz Album of the Year and Triple Crowns from DownBeat. He has also received numerous awards from  Jazz Times and the  Jazz Journalists Association for Tenor Saxophone, Album of the Year and Musician of the Year. Born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 29, 1952 he attended the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston where years later he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate. Since 2001 he has held the Gary Burton Chair in Jazz Performance and is a founding faculty member since 2009 of the Global Jazz Institute at Berklee directed by Danilo Pérez. He is a guest lecturer at New York University’s Jazz Program, Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music as well as Clinician at Universities around the globe.

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Melissa Aldana

Melissa Aldana is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, celebrated for her distinctive voice in jazz and her ability to seamlessly blend tradition with innovation. Born in Santiago, Chile, she discovered her passion for music at an early age, inspired by her father, a professional saxophonist. She began her formal studies on the tenor saxophone at the age of 12, immersing herself in the jazz canon and drawing inspiration from legendary players such as Sonny Rollins and Don Byas.

In 2013, Melissa became the first female instrumentalist and the first South American to win the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, propelling her onto the global stage. Since then, she has established herself as a powerful voice in contemporary jazz, earning 2 Grammy nominations and accolades for her unique approach to composition and improvisation.

A Blue Note recording artist, Melissa has released critically acclaimed albums, including 12 Stars and Echoes of the Inner Phophet, which highlight her rich storytelling, virtuosic technique, and deep emotional connection to her music. Her work often explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and resilience, resonating with audiences across the globe.

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Nduduzo Makhathini

Nduduzo Makhathini grew up in the lush and rugged hillscapes of uMgungundlovu in South Africa, a peri-urban landscape in which music and ritual practices were symbiotically linked. The area is significant historically as the site of the Zulu king Dingane kingdom between 1828 and 1840. It is important to note that the Zulu, in fact the African warrior code, is deeply reliant on music for motivation and healing. This deeply embedded symbiosis is key to understanding Makhathini’s vision.

The church also played a role in Makhathini’s musical understanding, as he hopped from church to church in his younger days in search of only the music. The legends of South African jazz are deep influences as well, Bheki Mseleku, Moses Molelekwa, and Abdullah Ibrahim. “The earlier musicians put a lot of emotions in the music they played,” he says. “I think it may also be linked to the political climate of those days. I also feel there is a uniqueness about South African jazz that created an interest all around the world and we are slowly losing that too in our music today. I personally feel that our generation has to be very conscious about retaining these nuances in the music we play today.”

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Linda May Han Oh

Grammy Award winning - Linda May Han Oh is a bassist/composer who has performed with artists such as Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, Terri Lyne Carrington and Vijay Iyer. Originally born in Malaysia and raised in Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia, she has received many awards including the 2023 Herb Albert Award and an Honorary Doctorate from Manhattan School of Music in 2024.

Linda has released six albums as a band-leader and her band was recently featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk.Linda has written for large and small ensembles, as well as for film. Most recently she scored "Sorority Confidential" by film maker Kathryn Smith Pyle and is currently working on “Invisible Threads” - a multi-disciplinary project commissioned by the Melbourne Jazz Festival featuring illustrations by Keith Henry Brown. Linda was featured on bass in the 2020 Pixar movie “Soul” and the model for the character “Miho”. Linda is currently teaching at the Berklee College of Music and is also part of the Institute for Jazz and Gender Justice. This year she is Artist-In-Residence at the Zuckerman Institute.

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Jeff "Tain" Watts

Jeff "Tain" Watts is one of the most in-demand jazz drummers in the world today. Jeff Watts majored in classical percussion at Pittsburgh's Duquesne University, where he was primarily a timpanist, followed by enrollment at the Berklee School of Music, where he pursued jazz studies alongside such talented players as Branford Marsalis, Kevin Eubanks, Greg Osby, Aimee Mann, Steve Vai and Marvin "Smitty" Smith. Jeff joined the Wynton Marsalis Quartet in 1981 and proceeded to win three Grammy Awards with the ensemble. Watts left Wynton Marsalis in 1988. After working with George Benson, Harry Connick. Jr. and McCoy Tyner, he joined the Branford Marsalis Quartet in 1989. Jeff has worked in the film and television industry as both a musician on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and as an actor, Rhythm Jones in Spike Lee’s "Mo Better Blues". Jeff joined Kenny Garrett's band after returning to New York in 1995 after three years in LA on the Tonight Show. Watts also continued to record and tour with Branford Marsalis as well as Danilo Perez, Michael Brecker, Betty Carter, Kenny Kirkland, Courtney Pine, Geri Allen, Alice Coltrane, Greg Osby, Steve Coleman, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Ravi Coltrane. Jeff has an extensive discography as a side-man, as well as ten albums as a leader.

Along with explosive power, blinding speed and mastery of complex rhythms and time signatures, Watts brings a rare sense of elegance, tried-by-fire composure, and a gritty street funk to his music. His artistic ingenuity expresses itself in his incomparable technique, sweltering sense of swing, and an extraordinary ability to imbue his music with majestic grace and elegant repose. A true jazz innovator, Watts never fails to deliver the percussive magic that has been his trademark since his emergence on the contemporary jazz scene.

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“My music is the spiritual expression of what I am - my faith, my knowledge, my being.” - John Coltrane

“When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.” - John Coltrane

““starting a sentence in the middle, and then going to the beginning and the end of it at the same time…both directions at once."” John Coltrane (as recalled by Wayne Shorter)

The Coltrane 100 tour is produced with the approval of Jowcol Music LLC o/b/o Estate of John Coltrane.