The Four Strangers Quartet will be returning to the city to present their take on Coltrane’s exciting music, reimagining his classics and putting their own spin on them. Audiences will hear hits like “Central Park West,” “Giant Steps,” a “Moment’s Notice” and others. The Strangers comprise drummer Phillip Tipton, Mike Sharfe on acoustic bass, John Zappa on flugelhorn and trumpet, and Tim McCord on piano and tenor saxophone.
John Coltrane was a native of North Carolina who began playing alto horn and clarinet in high school, and then switched to the saxophone, after his mother bought him one for his 17th birthday. Coltrane studied with Mike Guerra at the Ornstein School of Music from 1944 to 1945 and landed his first professional gig in 1945. The spark for his career came that same year when he first saw Charlie Parker. According to an article published in 1960 in DownBeat, Coltrane said:
". . . the first time I heard Bird play, it hit me right between the eyes."
The performance is part of the Jazz at the Memo Series, which debuted in 2023. The concerts take place in November and December, beginning with “everyday” jazz performances, then switching to holiday classics such “Charlie Brown Christmas” after Thanksgiving.
This performance is scheduled for November 18. Organizers of this type of event often contact printers, who use poster printing to create advertising for the show.