Fresh back from NZ and it’s kicking in … BIG TIME! Everybody involved with our modest little Chaser Productions set-up is hyped with the imminent performance of  Sacred Music – Sacred Spaces: A Re-envisioning of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’.

Sacred Music – Sacred Spaces has been on the back burner gently bubbling away for  a couple of years now. I’m pretty sure people that who know me are tired of me going on about it. However, at long last, on June 21st – the summer solstice – it is about to become a reality and a  re-envisioning of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ will be performed in the spiritually charge atmosphere of  The Chapel at Kings College in The Strand in London.

The Chapel, Kings College, The Strand… designed by Gilbert Scott.

With the help of the PRS foundation we secured the services of master musician and flautist Rowland Sutherland to globally “re-envision” Trane’s iconic,  spiritually charged masterpiece.

Rowland Sutherland

Rowland has  followed in the  footsteps of both John and Alice Coltrane and incorporated instrumentation from different cultural and spiritual traditions extending and re-imagining  the 4 parts of the Suite – Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance, Psalm.

At the helm of the 15 piece  ensemble will be original Jazz Warrior, Orphy Robinson. Alongside exercising his vibes and marimba via the Black Top project he is fresh from touring the world with virtuoso violinist Nigel Kennedy.

Back Top – Orphy , Pat, Shabaka – @ Cafe Oto. Photography: Andy Newcombe

Fully aware of the gravity of the task at hand Chaser Productions secured the enthusiastic backing of Sound & Music and that has enabled us to look to the future while creating a stellar ensemble of UK players that includes Ansuman Biswas melodic Indian instruments,  Byron Wallen trumpet / conch shells,  Crispin Robinson (+ 2)  Bata drums,  Juwon  Ogunbe – voice  Maya Jegede  kora / harp,  Neil Charles  contra bass, Nikki Yeoh  piano,  Orphy Robinson  –  steel pan /marimba  Pat Thomas  electronics,  Rowland Sutherland   flute,  Richard  Spaven  drums,  Steve Williamson tenor saxophone,  Shabaka Hutchins  bass clarinet.

Ade Egun Crispin Robinson: Cuba

Ansuman Biswas

It’s risky business taking on a revered piece of music like ‘A Love Supreme’ but as Wynton Marsalis said of  their performance at the Lincoln Center, “You don’t try and play what Trane played…. I’m not trying to be up there wasting musical time idol-worshiping. But it’s an honor and I’m going to play with integrity… the most difficult thing is the spiritual intensity and the emotional range of that music.”

It is that deep sense of love, compassion and devotion to the creator that  drives  John Coltrane’s original composition and recording and on the night,  at The Chapel,  we shall endeavour to tap into and channel those same life enhancing, positive energies in order to allow a deeper reflection that can hopefully uplift and benefit all present.

In the wise words of John Coltrane we shall seek,  “Elation, Elegance, Exaltation”.

PB. 30/05/2012

NB: As the venue is most intimate and hold only 250 people there will be two separate performances on the night. Ticket will… Jah willing… go on sale by the end of this week. Watch out for more info. on this.