Review: Lakecia Benjamin’s ‘Pursuance: The Coltranes’

In the over fifty years since John Coltrane’s death, dozens, if not hundreds, of recordings have honored his artistic genius. The sheer quantity seemingly dwarfs even the number of releases by the saxophonist during his lifetime. This, of course, raises a fairly simple question: does the world truly need yet another homage to Coltrane? If the album in question is Lakecia Benjamin’s Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope Records, 2020), the answer is a resounding “yes.” Ultimately, it is unlike any other Trane-centric work which preceded it.

To be fair, calling Pusuance a tribute to John Coltrane is a bit misleading as, in substance, it more adequately reflects the brilliance of Alice Coltrane. Every bit the musical equal of her husband, her contributions remain largely under-appreciated to this day.  Despite dedicated fans of her records, particularly her best-known Journey in Satchidananda (Impulse!, 1971), her music still lacks the recognition it merits. This is partly due to the deep shadow of John’s significance and partly caused by lingering sexism. Most encounter her music, if at all, only after initially exploring John’s. By contrast, Benjamin has the rare perspective of one who loved the pianist/harpist first. “Alice meant so much to me; I knew her music before I knew John’s. I saw John’s name in the liner notes of her albums and wondered, Who is that?” 

Alice’s influence permeates throughout Pursuance. Half of the songs are her compositions. Of these, Benjamin selected some fairly deep cuts. Gone are tracks from Journey and in their place ones from Transfiguration (Warner Bros., 1978), Translinear Light (Impulse!, 2004), Lord of Lords (Impulse!, 1973). Each is given a modern update while retaining their deeply spiritual and Eastern-influenced sound. “Walk With Me” with violinist Regina Carter and two tracks with a string trio and harpist Brandee Younger – “Prema” and “Going Home” – perfectly encapsulate the heart of Ms. Coltrane’s work. The latter does it so beautifully it almost brought this reviewer to tears upon initial listen.

The remaining songs, compositions by John, are similarly imbued with the sentimentality common to Alice’s discography. It helps that some of those selected are among his devotional works – “Acknowledgement” and “Pursuance” from A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965) and “Alabama” from Live at Birdland (Impulse!, 1963). The latter, written in memory of children who died in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing, is a particularly bold choice for Benjamin to cover. Although her version differs from the original, it is still emotionally powerful and moving. Even her approach to traditional postbop pieces such as “Spiral” and “Syeeda’s Song Flute” off of Giant Steps (Atlantic Records, 1960) imply a deeper meaning. Pursuance overwhelmingly succeeds in bridging the gap between the music of the two Coltranes.

The focus on Alice’s artistry by itself is sufficient to distinguish Pursuance from all other tributes. However, it is far from the only demarcating feature; another emerges from Benjamin’s pop, soul, and R&B leanings. Most of her contemporaries draw primarily from postbop or the avant-garde, but the bandleader resists the urge to follow such viewpoints and pretend to be anyone other than herself. This does not mean she “popularizes” the songs. Nor does it mean she ignores other approaches. The final minute of “Walk With Me” pushes her sound further “out” than on either of her prior releases. Instead, she finds a middle ground where her musical background can peacefully coexist with the original compositions. This is aptly showcased on “Central Park West” which begins with a hip-hop like beat before turning into an incredibly soulful version of the tune.

An equally important characteristic develops from the musicians’ diversity. A wide variety of guests appear, representing a broad spectrum of artists. These include Younger, Reggie Workman, Ron Carter, Gary Bartz,  Meshell Ndegeocello, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bertha Hope, Last Poets, Greg Osby, Marcus Strickland, Marcus Gilmore, Keyon Harrold, Steve Wilson, Marc Cary, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Jazzmeia Horn. They differ significantly in their styles and techniques, as well as representing a broad age range. Some – Workman and Ron Carter – once performed with John while most know of him merely as a legendary figure. These differences implicitly impact their performances and interactions with one another in a way uncommon to most recordings.

Similarly, much of the discrimination that existed during Alice’s career sadly continues to this day. Female jazz artists generally remain outliers in an overwhelmingly “boys club.” Although not the first woman to release an album dedicated to Trane, Benjamin still provides a necessary, and insufficiently heard, feminine voice that subtly guides the work. 

Pursuance is a fantastic release. Not only does it provide a long-overdue honor to Alice Coltrane’s work, but it also restructures decades-old songs to present them in breathtaking new ways. These fresh approaches serve to expose further hidden beauty contained therein. It sends a strong message that, while so many giants of the music are no longer with us, in many ways, they never leave us. Undiscovered albums by either Coltrane may, and have been, found over the years. However, they are mere snapshots of their perspective at that given time. Instead, it is truly in the influence of their art on subsequent generations in which their essence continues to reside. With progeny like Benjamin, their legacy shall remain bright indeed.

Lakecia Benjamin’s Pursuance: The Coltranes, will be available on March 27, 2020, on Ropeadope Records.

Track list: 1. Liberia; 2. Prema; 3. Central Park West; 4. Walk With Me; 5. Going Home; 6. Syeedas Song Flute; 7. Spiral; 8. Om Shanti; 9. Alabama; 10. Acknowledgment; 11. Pursuance; 12. Turiya and Ramakrishna; 13. Affinity.

Personnel: Lakecia Benjamin (alto sax, keyboards (8), background vocals (8), piano (8)), Sharp Radway (piano (1,2-5,7,9,10,13)), Lonnie Plaxico (bass (1-6,9,12)), Darrell Green (drums (1,2,5,6, 9-13)), Reggie Workman (bass (2,4,9,13)), Chris Rob (piano (1) organ (3) Rhodes (6,8)), Joe Blaxx (drums (3,4), background vocals (8), percussion (8)), Gamiel Lyons (flute (2,5)), Brandee Younger (harp (2,5)), Juliette Jones (violin (2,5)), Jarvis Benson (viola (2,5)), Malcom Parson (cello (2,5)), Surya Botofasina (piano (2, 11)), Bendji Allonce (percussion ((10, 12)), Jonathan Michel (bass (10, 11)), Gary Bartz (alto sax (1)), Jazzmeia Horn (vocals (3)), Regina Carter (violin (4)), Marcus Strickland (bass clarinet (5)), Ron Carter (bass (6)), Keyon Harrold (trumpet (6)), Steve Wilson (alto sax (7)), Marcus Gilmore (drums (7)), John Benetiz (bass (7)), Georgia Anne Muldrow (vocals, percussion ((8)), Meshell Ndegeocello (bass (8)), Richard Ramos (guitar (8)), Dudley Perkins (percussion and background vocals (8)), Zakiyyah Modeste (percussion (8)), Bertha Hope (piano (9)), Dee Dee Bridgewater (vocals (10)), Abiodun Oyewole (spoken word (10)), Marc Cary (piano (11)), Greg Osby (alto sax (13)), Bruce Williams (alto sax (13)).