Coltrane 100: Both Directions at Once

Wednesday, April 08, 2026 @ 7:30pm

McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540

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 Matthew Garrison, 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.