Ravi Coltrane is back in Seattle this week, taking over Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley for four nights and six shows starting August 21. The Grammy-nominated saxophonist and bandleader is no stranger to Seattle, and the city will get a big dose of jazz as he makes his anticipated return.

One performance that still sticks in my mind happened at the now-shuttered Tula’s Restaurant and Jazz Club in early 2013. Playing with the Jack DeJohnette Quartet, Coltrane lit up the cozy Belltown room with a set that was at once personal and sweeping. Tula’s, which operated for more than 25 years before closing in 2019, was a Seattle jazz hub for those in-the-know and nights like that one showed why.

Coltrane has made his way back to Seattle over the years, most often to another Seattle jazz institution, Jazz Alley.  Born to John and Alice Coltrane, Ravi has spent more than three decades building his own career while looking over his family’s legacy, including producing Alice Coltrane’s Translinear Light and overseeing reissues of his parents’ recordings. He has released six albums as a leader and collaborated with jazz luminaries such as Elvin Jones, Steve Coleman, Terence Blanchard, and Jack DeJohnette.

For this Jazz Alley run, Ravi Coltrane is joined by David Gilmore on guitar, Scott Colley on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. Shows run Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m., with late sets Friday and Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Thursday and 5:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 

Whenever Coltrane rolls into town, it’s a night you don’t want to miss. Grab your tickets now at jazzalley.com.