Thursday 5th October 2023
12.30 lunchtime
Matt Cook Quartet
Matt Cook, saxophone
Reuben Goldmark, piano
Max Kahn, double bass
Jack Yardley, drums
Programme
John William Coltrane (1926-1967)
A Love Supreme
A Love Supreme is a ground-breaking jazz suite by saxophonist John Coltrane.
Released in 1965, it is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential jazz albums in history. Comprising four distinct parts, the piece serves as both a musical and spiritual journey for Coltrane. It explores themes of devotion, resolution, pursuit, and transcendence, reflecting his deep spiritual awakening and quest for higher consciousness. Known for its emotional intensity and innovative improvisation, A Love Supreme continues to captivate and inspire audiences worldwide. It stands as a testament to Coltrane's profound artistry and remains a cherished masterpiece in the jazz repertoire.
Part I: Acknowledgement
Part II: Resolution
Part III: Pursuance
Part IV: Psalm
The album's four movements are akin to chapters in a spiritual diary. Acknowledgment serves as the opening of this sacred manuscript, expressing Coltrane's profound gratitude and reverence.
As we delve into Resolution, we witness the artist's inner struggles and resolutions. It's a cathartic journey through the human experience, where Coltrane wrestles with his demons and seeks a path toward personal and spiritual growth.
Pursuance is a dynamic exploration of creativity and improvisation, mirroring Coltrane's relentless pursuit of artistic excellence. This movement represents his quest for higher understanding and the artistic expression of his spiritual revelations.
Finally, Psalm is the culmination of this spiritual odyssey. It is a prayer in musical form, a moment of deep reflection and meditation.
Coltrane's A Love Supreme is not merely a collection of songs but a profound expression of faith and the human experience. It invites us to contemplate our own spiritual journeys, to seek resolution and transcendence in our lives, and to recognise the power of art to convey the depths of the human soul. This album continues to resonate with audiences as a testament to the enduring connection between music, spirituality, and the human spirit.
Concert duration approx: 40-45 minutes
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Matt Cook
Born into a musical family, Matt Cook grew up surrounded by music from Dave Brubeck to Antonio Carlos Jobim. He started the Saxophone at the age of nine but it was not until receiving lessons from Roger Perrin that his passion for jazz would flourish.
Matt joined the Junior Department at the Royal Academy of Music at the age of sixteen, before going on to study for a BMus Jazz Saxophone degree with a scholarship. He graduated in 2022 with First Class Honours.
At the Academy he was lucky enough to study with UK Jazz Heavyweights: Iain Ballamy, Stan Sulzmann, Soweto Kinch, Nathaniel Facey. Through the Academy he has been able to perform with Kit Downes, Petr Eldh, Norma Winstone, Evan Parker and many others. Just in his first term at The Royal Academy, Matt Cook was selected as a semi-finalist for the acclaimed BBC Young Jazz Musician Award.
Since graduating he has been making his presence known on the London jazz scene playing at top venues such as The Vortex and Ronnie Scott's. Today, he is joined by some of London's most promising young jazz artists, including Reuben Goldmark on piano, Max Kahn on double bass, and Jack Yardley on drums.
The Quartet aims to pay homage to Coltrane's A Love Supreme while infusing their own unique artistry and style into the masterpiece. Their goal is to respect the original's profound significance while bringing a fresh perspective and creative energy to the timeless music.
Matt joined the Junior Department at the Royal Academy of Music at the age of sixteen, before going on to study for a BMus Jazz Saxophone degree with a scholarship. He graduated in 2022 with First Class Honours.
At the Academy he was lucky enough to study with UK Jazz Heavyweights: Iain Ballamy, Stan Sulzmann, Soweto Kinch, Nathaniel Facey. Through the Academy he has been able to perform with Kit Downes, Petr Eldh, Norma Winstone, Evan Parker and many others. Just in his first term at The Royal Academy, Matt Cook was selected as a semi-finalist for the acclaimed BBC Young Jazz Musician Award.
Since graduating he has been making his presence known on the London jazz scene playing at top venues such as The Vortex and Ronnie Scott's. Today, he is joined by some of London's most promising young jazz artists, including Reuben Goldmark on piano, Max Kahn on double bass, and Jack Yardley on drums.
The Quartet aims to pay homage to Coltrane's A Love Supreme while infusing their own unique artistry and style into the masterpiece. Their goal is to respect the original's profound significance while bringing a fresh perspective and creative energy to the timeless music.
Recordings of the work in today's concert
This unusual, single work, concert brings us John Coltrane's suite A Love Supreme. Here is an audio recording for those who cannot be with us at this concert, or who wish to listen before or after the event.
Below that we offer a short example of Coltrane playing live.
Below that we offer a short example of Coltrane playing live.
Coltrane is believed by some to have written Alabama as a response to the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing, in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, in which four young African-American girls died.
It may be worth bearing in mind these two footnotes offered on the wikipedia entry for Coltrane's Alabama:
a) Music journalist Francis Davis – more than thirty-four years after Coltrane's death – stated in The New York Times that he was unable to find any corroborating evidence that Coltrane had intended for "Alabama" to be about the tragedy. (Davis; September 23, 2001)
b) Journalist Matt Micucci, on November 18, 2016, stated in a Jazziz essay, that "Coltrane was inspired by Martin Luther King's speech, delivered in the church sanctuary three days after the bombing [September 18, 1963], and patterned his saxophone playing on it. Like the speech, Alabama shifts its tone from one of mourning to one of renewed determination for the struggle against racially motivated crimes". (Micucci, November 18, 2016)
Previous concert
28 September 2023 - Francisco Correa, classical guitar - click here
Next concert
part of the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival
12 October 2023 - Khamis & Jones piano-4-hands - click here
12 October 2023 - Khamis & Jones piano-4-hands - click here