In Spirit of John Coltrane
Perennially underrated saxophonist Sonny Fortune has worked withMiles Davis,McCoy Tyner, andElvin Jones. Not coincidentally, each of these musicians enjoyed a close relationship with Fortune's overriding musical influence,John Coltrane.In the Spiritconsists mostly of originals by Fortune written under the influence of Trane. "Hangin' Out with J.C."  borrows its chord structure from "Countdown" and "Moment's Notice," while the title track is a deep ballad reminiscent of "Dear Lord."  Although he's best known as an alto saxophonist, Fortune also plays tenor and soprano here, distinguishing himself accordingly on each horn. He's accompanied by a topnotch rhythm section includingJohn Hickson piano, Santi Debriano on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums. On the last track, "For John," bassistReggie Workmanand drummer Rashied Ali lift off with Fortune on a visit to interstellar space. The spirit lives.-- Rick Mitchell