About this event
Please note: this concert will take place at Bozar (Studio), 23 Rue Ravenstein, 1000 Brussels, located near Brussels Central Station. Tickets are available via: Harmony Holiday meets John Coltrane | Bozar Brussels(JOHN) COLTRANE 100: A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL JAZZ INNOVATORS AB, Bozar and Kaaitheater join forces to present a unique tribute to John Coltrane: one of the most influential innovators in the history of jazz. Coltrane sculpted an entirely inimitable signature sound with his saxophone (a Belgian invention by Adolphe Sax). His rich oeuvre is now considered a sacred legacy: “Many artists achieve greatness but very few produce work that is so moving that it’s considered sacred.” To mark Coltrane’s 100th birthday, in 2026 we honour his legacy with a series of dance performances, concerts, screenings and artist talks. HARMONY HOLIDAY MEETS JOHN COLTRANE: ARTIST TALK + READING + SCREENING OF ABIDE WITH ME (2024, 38 min)Jazz legend John Coltrane inspires not only musicians, but also filmmakers and writers such as the multi-talented American Harmony Holiday (US) … The highlight is the screening of Holiday’s film Abide With Me, a poignant and evocative work “… that meditates on Black artistic identity before fame through a close look at the life of Thelonious Monk.” But John Coltrane, Amiri Baraka, Lauryn Hill, Sun Ra, Tina Turner and Nina Simone are also featured. She will discuss this with Geert Buelens, writer, jazz connoisseur and author of, among other works, De jaren zestig. Een cultuurgeschiedenis. Afterwards, Holiday will read from her recent poetry collection Life of the Party, in which she explores themes such as Black culture, music history and collective memory with a rhythmic and inquisitive voice. A sensory and reflective evening in which past and present, sound and language, merge into a powerful artistic statement. Holiday is a huge fan of Coltrane: “John Coltrane’s playing does what the best of any art form does: it leaves us speechless, with nothing left to say or avenge or redeem. This is why he is seen as Christ-like, as one who truly did die for our sins, and gave us music meaningful enough to make us want to atone, if only so that we can make better music.” An excerpt from In Praise of John Coltrane's Smile - by Harmony Holiday on Coltrane’s smile. For those wishing to delve deeper into her love for the entire Coltrane family, and Alice Coltrane in particular: Alice Coltrane Special: Harmony Holiday 9 February 2025 | Listen on NTS
