Ravi Coltrane "Inner Urge" Knockout version

Steve Coleman (as), Jeff Tain Watts (ds), Lonnie Plaxico (b), Michael Cain (p)

Bottomless blue blackness,
Ultra-violet sway,
Funky happiness.
Amiri Baraka
"I want to be involved with music that is truly honest - that's not trying to follow trends or fit into someone's idea about what jazz 'is'. For Bird, Miles, Monk, Coltrane, and Wayne Shorter, I hold the highest level of appreciation because their love and knowledge of tradition was never greater than their need to follow their own path. The need to be themselves. This is my goal - my aspiration - to acknowledge with love my influences while attempting a move forward - to be open and receptive to shifts in the musical terrain - to make music that is relevant to my present day experience". -- Ravi Coltrane
1998
In 1991, Ravi hooked up with Elvin Jones, his father's renowned drummer from the 60's and received his first taste of the jazz life. Within a year, he relocated to New York City and began playing with a variety of players: Jack DeJohnnette, Rashied Ali, Wallace Roney, Antoine Roney, Geri Allen, Kenny Barron, Cindy Blackman, Joe Lovano, Joanne Brackeen, Gerry Gibbs, Graham Haynes, and Steve Coleman. Ravi's relationship with Coleman through most of the 90's was particularly influential on the budding saxophonist, including tours and appearances on several Coleman albums.

The M-Base Collective began around 1984. Here is a list of people who have been involved in this movement by participating in the music and or influenced the spirit of the music: Steve Coleman, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Ravi Coltrane, Jimmy Cozier, Malik Mezzadri, Branford Marsalis, Yosvany Terry, D'Armous Boone, Craig Handy, Lance Bryant, David Murray, Von Freeman, Bunky Green, Steve Williamson, Greg Tardy, Graham Haynes, Robin Eubanks, Ralph Alessi, Jonathan Finlayson, Ambrose Campbell Akinmusire, Geoffroy DeMasure, Josh Roseman, Roy Hargrove, Shane Endsley, George Lewis, Nbate Isles, Tim Albright, Jean Paul Bourelly, Rory Stuart, Kelvyn Bell, David Gilmore, Kevin McNeal, Geri Allen, James Weidman, Andy Milne, Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran, Robert Mitchell, Edward Simon, Muhal Richard Abrams, Kim Clark, Kevin Bruce Harris, Reggie Washington, Anthony Tidd (Quite Sane), MeShell N'degecello, David Dyson, Matthew Garrison, Lonnie Plaxico, Dave Holland, Kenny Davis, Bob Hurst, Dafnis Prieto, Sean Rickman, Oliver Gene Lake, Ramon Garcia Perez (Sandy), Anga (Miguel Diaz), Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Mark Johnson, Josh Jones, Larry Banks, Terry Lynn Carrington, Chander Sarjoe, Mark Prince, Roberto Vizcaino, Marcus Gilmore, Camille Gainer, Marivaldo Dos Santos, Jesus Diaz, Michael Wimberly, Jalal Sharriff, Kwe Yao Agyapan, Ronnie Roc, Dave Frazier, Ramesh Shotham, Indian AfroCuba De Matanzas, Tani Tabbal, Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn, Nei Sacramento (Kontra), Luciano Silva (Kontra), Felipe Alexandro (Kontra), Cassandra Wilson, Jen Shyu, D.K. Dyson, Najma Akhtar, Yassir Chadly, Black Indian, Kokayi, Opus Akoben Timbuk(a.k.a. Sub-Zero), Utasi, Shahliek, Black Thought, Andrea the Great, Dave Mills, Patricia Magalhaes, Air Smooth, Rosangela Silvestre, Laila Jenkins, Vera Passos Santana, Don Byron, Derrick Davis, Ezra Greer Maia, Claire Garrison, Lacine Wedderburn, Maria Mitchell.