Moving Pictures
Rather than springboard to early fame on the strength of his father's name, this young saxophonist spent years honing his skills as a sideman--most notably with Steve Coleman, who produced this debut. Coltrane's playing is quiet, reflective, and filled with a generous spirit; his mournful blowing on tunes like Horace Silver's "Peace" and his own "Narcine" allows room for his collaborators to shine. And backed by an excellent band consisting of Michael Cain (piano), Lonnie Plaxico (bass), and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), he shows he can also take on aggressive numbers like Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge" and his own "Mixed Media." Though still developing his own voice as a musician, Coltrane demonstrates that he is very much his own man.--Erik Pedersen