Alice Coltrane’s 1971 concert from Carnegie Hall to be released

A previously unreleased recording of Alice Coltrane’s 1971 concert from Carnegie Hall is slated to drop next month. 

Set to be released on March 22nd via Impulse!, the historic performance took place four years after the untimely passing of the pioneering harpist and pianist’s artist’s husband, John Coltrane. It marked her debut performance as a leader at Carnegie Hall.

According to the press release, the concert arrived at a pivotal moment for Coltrane’s career and spiritual journey – recorded after the release of her fourth solo album ‘Journey in Satchidananda’ and a five-week trip to India. 

The set includes two pieces taken from ‘Journey in Satchidananda’, followed by two compositions by John Coltrane: ‘Africa’ and ‘Leo’.  

On the evening of the recording, Alice Coltrane’s band included two additional members – Kumar Kramer on harmonium and Tulsi Reynolds on tamboura. They joined a large jazz ensemble consisting of two saxophonists (Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp), two bassists (Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee), and two drummers (Ed Blackwell and Clifford Jarvis).

The first track,  ‘Shiva-Loka’, lifted from the upcoming recording is out now. Check out the visualiser below.