José James Presents // Facing East: The Music of John Coltrane Celebrating 100 years of Coltrane, José James reimagines the genius of jazz’s spiritual father with an electrifying new tribute. Internationally acclaimed jazz singer and producer José James returns with his most ambitious project to date: a soul-stirring homage to the legendary saxophonist John Coltrane. Thirty years in the making, Facing East had its world premiere in 2013 via a European tour, including performances at Ancienne Belgique, North Sea Jazz, Nice Jazz Festival, and Ronnie Scott’s. Since then, James has released over 10 albums for Blue Note Records and his own Rainbow Blonde Records while presenting transformative tributes to iconic artists such as Billie Holiday, Bill Withers, Erykah Badu, and Marvin Gaye. With Facing East, James turns his focus to his self-professed “musical father,” John Coltrane, continuing a profound musical exploration of the iconic composer’s work during the centennial year of his birth. Performing a setlist spanning Coltrane’s early days as a bandleader on Atlantic Records to his dynamic later work for Impulse! Records, James honors one of the most brilliant composers, improvisers, and balladeers in the history of jazz. James, who first exploded onto the international jazz scene in 2008 with his groundbreaking vocalese cover of “Equinox,” is no stranger to the Coltrane oeuvre. In 2011, James was invited to perform as a featured guest on three international tours with McCoy Tyner, becoming the third vocalist in history to perform with the brilliant pianist and cornerstone of Coltrane’s celebrated classic quartet. The project, a musical exploration of the celebrated 1963 John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman album, was met with great acclaim throughout Japan, Taiwan, China, the USA, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Joined by an ensemble of world-class contemporary jazz musicians, James reimagines Coltrane’s music for a new generation of listeners. Facing East is a bold, heartfelt tribute to the boundless creativity of John Coltrane, a towering figure whose music continues to inspire and transform generations. This project transcends tribute—it’s a spiritual journey that captures the essence of Coltrane’s genius and reimagines it for today.

The origins of Ron Blake's tradition-honed eclecticism can be traced back tothe Virgin Islands where he was born and raised. The saxophonist and composer recently completed his 20th season with NBC's Saturday Night Live Band. He has released five recordings as a leader on Mack Avenue and his self released debut, UpFront and Personal. His most recent release, Mistaken Identity, on 7tēn33 Productions (2023),was his first in 15 years. He is the recipient of three Grammy® awards with the Christian McBride Big Band and four Emmy® Awards with the SNL Band. Blake has appeared on over 60 recordings as a guest or sideman with leading artists, including Roy Hargrove; Art Farmer, Christian McBride, Meshell Ndgeocello, Joey DeFrancesco, and Yerba Buena. In addition, Blake is on faculty at the Juilliard School and more recently, Blake composed soundtracks and sound design for A Bedtime Project podcast, streaming on all major platforms. Blake's new release (August 8th,2025),Ron Blake Scratch Band featuring Reuben Rogers on bass and John Hadfield on percussion on 7tēn33 Productions, reflects upon his childhood memories of music performed my local bands, often called scratch bands in the Virgin Islands, for its inspiration.