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Alexander artiest Ravi Goltrane


Ravi Coltrane
"Alexanders are truly great reeds. They're great on so many different levels;
sound, control, longevity. I also like the fact that 90% of the time I will be able to
play every reed in a box. Tom Alexander really understands the players
perspective and knows what most modern sax players are going for in regard to
sound. He has put that knowledge into a reed that has gotten me closer to the
sound that I've always wanted to have. A wide but focused low end, clear mid
range and full highs.
On top of Alexanders being great sounding reeds, they offer a control that has
really opened my playing. The reeds just blow so nicely and I'm working less to
get them to do want I want them to do. They vibrate like crazy and project a full
sound effortlessly. Not having to fight a reed means better intonation and more
freedom in all ranges of the horn. All of these factors have had a very positive
effect on my playing. I look forward to playing Alexander reeds for many years
to come."
Ravi Coltrane is actually someone I met by chance at a gig my band M.E.T.A.
was playing it in Tokyo in the late 1980's. Though he hadn't been playing many
years, he already sounded very advanced and seemed to be seriously involved
in the search for a better tone, more complex ideas, etc. which reminded me of
his father, the great John Coltrane. But it's obvious that he wasn't just trying to
follow in his father's footsteps by copying them. He is his own man all the way
and now some 20 years later, he is a player of high international repute as he
continues to keep growing. Ravi Coltrane is a player who is attracting attention
for the strength of his own sound and concept which is why he's in demand with
other top musicians.
To date Ravi has played in the bands of Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, and has
gigged or recorded with fellow World Artists Greg Osby, Branford Marsalis, and
Ralph Alessi, Geri Allen, Gary Bartz, Joanne Brackeen, Michael & Randy
Brecker, Carlos Santana, Ron Carter, Billy Childs, Steve Coleman, Scott Colley,
Chick Corea, Anthony Cox, George Duke, Sonny Fortune, Darryl Hall, Gerry
Gibbs, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Hart, Graham Haynes, Javon Jackson, Chip
Jackson, Christian McBride, Andy Mckee, Jason Moran, David Murray, Ralph
Peterson, Willie Pickens, , Lonnie Plaxico, Rufus Reid, Wallace Roney, Wayne
Shorter, Yosuke Yamashita among others. He has four CDs out under his own
name entitled Moving Pictures, From The Round Box, Mad Six, and In Flux.
One critic said "When Ravi plays, it always sounds as if he's on a personal
quest." This is what strikes you with Ravi's personal style and the hallmark of
many great musicians...the QUEST. We're really happy to have Ravi with us
and to know that our reeds have been part of his sound.