Revisiting the famous album when John Coltrane teamed up with vocalist Johnny Hartman to explore their favourite romantic standards, tenor sax virtuoso Mark Lockheart is joined by the extraordinary vocalist Marvin Muoneké and a top-flight rhythm section of Gary Crosby (bass), Alex Webb (piano) and Alfonso Vitale (drums).
As well as the songs from the 1963 Impulse album, the group explores other standards that Coltrane liked to play, including All Or Nothing At All, Out Of This World, Say It Again and vocal versions of Moment's Notice and After The Rain. The original album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013, 50 years after its release.
Nominated in the 2026 JazzFM Awards, Marvin Muoneké has been dubbed 'The Young Man with The Old Soul’ and once you hear his voice you'll understand why – his sound has been likened to Nat 'King' Cole, Johnny Hartman and Billy Eckstine. He has toured with the award-winning swing band, Down For The Count, and sung with the Vince Dunn Orchestra and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. He is also a gifted songwriter, arranger and trumpet player. ‘A new vocal sensation in the UK’ JazzFM
Saxophonist and composer Mark Lockheart first came to prominence in the mid-1980s with the influential big band Loose Tubes. The mid-90s saw Mark recording and performing with many artists including Django Bates, Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, June Tabor, Robert Wyatt and Radiohead as well as his own group, Perfect Houseplants. In 2003 Mark joined Seb Rochford’s Polar Bear, which over a period of 12years picked up two Mercury award nominations. In 2016 Mark was awarded Jazz FM Instrumentalist of the year and was nominated for the British Composer Awards for his composition With One Voice. His new album, Shapeshifter, was released in March. ‘Mark Lockheart has been at the centre of British music for four decades’ UK JazzNews.
Alex Webb is a prolific songwriter, arranger and pianist, whose songs have been recorded by jazz singers China Moses, Mina Agossi, Sandra Nkake, Liane Carroll, Allan Harris, Vimala Rowe and Alexander Stewart, among others.
Gary Crosby OBE is a leading jazz double bassist, bandleader, composer/arranger, educator, record producer, company director and facilitator, and was a founder member of the Jazz Warriors. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Tomorrow’s Warriors, providing a platform for talented young musicians who wish to pursue a career in jazz.
Alfonso Vitale, from Messina, Sicily, is a top-drawer jazz and classical percussionist and one of the most in-demand drummers in London today.
‘Tenor saxist Mark Lockheart and vocalist Marvin Muoneké brought a fabulous 1963 album to life and did so much more than simply pay tribute to the classic 'John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman'.’ - www.hilaryseabrook.co.uk (concert review, Watford Pump House).
