On April 15, 2024, as a part of the Jazz and Social Justice series at the National Jazz Museum, Brandee Younger took the stage and led the Alice Coltrane Ensemble from the New School in a performance honoring the Year of Alice. This special 23rd volume in the series titled “Monument Eternal: The Light and Legacy of Alice Coltrane,” celebrates the music of Alice and the Coltrane legacy. This event was held both in person and over livestream. The livestream has been archived on the National Jazz Museum YouTube page for those who could not make the event.
During the concert, Younger showcased Alice’s signature style by performing her original compositions on the harp. Percussion, vocals, and other string instruments were played by the New School members. The thirty-minute concert was then followed by a discussion panel with Younger, Larry Blumenfeld, Hollis King, and Matthew Garrison. Blumenfeld led the discussion, asking questions to King, Garrison, and Younger that prompted a conversation about Alice’s impact on the world of jazz music, the overall Coltrane message, and updates about the Coltrane Home.
One memorable moment from the discussion panel was when Blumenfeld asked, “What do we want the future of the Coltrane Home to be? What is the vision?” King took a moment to reflect on this question, then powerfully stated that “The Coltranes represent the best of who we are. It’s American excellence at its best.” King closed this train of thought by expressing that the Coltrane Home embodies these same beliefs and remains a representation of a force for good.
