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''Trane' accurately captures legendary jazz man's persona

''Trane' accurately captures legendary jazz man's persona image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
October
Year
1989
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Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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' 'Trane' accurately captures legendary jazz man's persona

By MICHAEL C. NASTOS

NEWS SPECIAL WRITER

Searing emotionalism, the striving for perfection and simple human passions are the hallmarks of Christine Rusch's  'Trane -- Beyond the Blues,” which opened a two-week-end run at the Performance Network last week.

The play is a chronological portrait of saxophonist John Coltrane. Part one deals with Coltrane’s teen years and his early professional career; part two with the mid-’50s and his marriage to wife Naima; and the final segment with “makin’ changes” via his second wife Alice McLeod.

Each act is a series of brief vignettes concentrating on important aspects of Coltrane’s life, spiritually, conceptually and musically.

Early portions of the script are heavy with symbolism; for example, Coltrane has a vision of hearing a “clear, pretty sound” that his father insists “won’t get no louder.”

Cast members were marvelous in their demanding roles. Tom Krawford took on the persona of young Coltrane, reflecting his wide-eyed naivete and stoic handsomeness. A memorable moment has Coltrane in a library where he meets fellow saxophonist Jimmy Heath, who asks Coltrane to do a "gig."

The most gripping scene involves Coltrane’s use of heroin. Torn by the inequities and in-fighting among the people he dealt with, ’Trane took to mainlining. The scene was chilling.

A taller, more pensive Rob Douglas took on the task of interpreting Coltrane for the last two acts. His posturing was evocative: hunched over, saxophone in hand, questioning the whys and wherefores of the universe, and of human nature. Coltrane’s involvement with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, two musicians who tried to steer him away from drugs, was fully realized in the depiction of this time period of the late ’50s. Coltrane cleaned up his act and became a quite popular, though critically misunderstood, player.

Michael Jamison took on a variety of roles and attacked them with a sometimes maniacal humor; other times he showed a sage, savvy wisdom. His characterizations of Monk, McCoy Tyner and Rashied Ali were delightfully entertaining and accurate to the nth degree.

No one swapped more parts than the alluring Michelle Daniels, who played the roles of Coltrane’s sister and mother; a hooker; and his wives Naima and Alice with a magnetic personality.

Her scene with Jamison, as a reporter asking Tyner questions about the classic Coltrane quartet of the ’60s, was particularly hilarious. It pointed out the general perceptions about ’Trane’s music, and the myths that still surround jazz.

Segments are dedicated to legendary but obscure musicians like the fictional “Little Bad Man” Jimmy Oliver; the real-life King Kolax; “hot cats” Earl Bostic, Johnny Hodges and especially Eric Dolphy.

’TRANE -- BEYOND THE BLUES

’Trane-Beyond the Blues' opened Iasi weekend at the Performance Network. 408 W. Washington St. The 8 p.m. Saturday show was reviewed. It continues this weekend. For ticket information, call the Network at 663-0681.