When trumpeter Terence Blanchard and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane step onto the Hill Auditorium stage on Feb. 15, 2026, Ann Arbor will become a crossroads of past, present and future jazz.
Their performance – part of a limited national tour – marks a once‑in‑a‑generation celebration of the 100th birthdays of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, two artists whose innovations continue to shape the sound and spirit of modern music.
As presented by the University of Michigan’s University Musical Society (UMS), this is not just another tribute show. It is a meeting of two artists who have spent their careers navigating the tension between preservation and progress. For Blanchard, whose work spans jazz, opera and film scoring, Miles Davis has long been a lodestar – a model of artistic fearlessness and reinvention. His deep study of Davis’ music and ethos informs his forward‑looking approach, one that treats the jazz canon not as sacred text but as raw material for continual transformation.
Coltrane, meanwhile, carries a legacy that is at once intimate and immense. As the son of John and (Detroit’s own) Alice Coltrane, he has spent decades crafting an identity that honors his lineage without becoming defined by it. His playing – lyrical, searching and richly textured – embodies both reverence and exploration. Like his father, he treats improvisation as inquiry: a path toward revelation rather than a display of virtuosity.
A stage steeped in history
The choice of venue – U-M’s Hill Auditorium – adds its own resonance. A space known for its acoustics and its long relationship with jazz programming, Hill has hosted everyone from Duke Ellington to Wynton Marsalis. On this winter afternoon, it becomes the site of Blanchard’s UMS debut and Coltrane’s return to Ann Arbor following his 2006 appearance with his mother, pianist and harpist Alice Coltrane.
The concert is scheduled for 4 p.m., with a streamlined, 90‑minute set and no intermission.
“The project started through Terence,” Ravi Coltrane told the Free Press. “He called me a year ago and asked me to join his group to celebrate the anniversary, their 100th birthday anniversary. I love Terence. I love working with him. He’s been real supportive of me over the years. And if there’s anybody out there that I’d want to do a project like this with, it would be Terence Blanchard.”
Reimagining the sound of two giants
The ensemble will reinterpret canonical Davis and Coltrane compositions, drawing from both iconic recordings and deeper cuts. What distinguishes this project, however, is its refusal to treat the centennial as an endpoint. Instead, the artists approach the milestone as a reminder of jazz’s constant evolution.
Blanchard and Coltrane are backed by a band of world‑class musicians, including guitarist Charles Altura, pianist Julian Pollack, bassist David Ginyard Jr. and drummer Oscar Seaton – players known for their adaptability and expansive musical vocabulary.
“You’ll see some exploration,” said Coltrane. “This is the first of many concerts that we’re going to do this year, and I know it’s a project that’s going to evolve over time. We’re not looking to recreate the past. It’s not supposed to be about emulating what they did. That would be the wrong approach, because Miles and John Coltrane were such originals, you know? Such unique and personal voices that they brought to the music.
“That’s really the primary inspiration for all of us to stay as unique and personal in our own approach to the music. Terence wrote some great arrangements, kind of reimagining some of the repertoire of the Miles Davis Quintet from the ‘50s. And, like I said, this is the first gig, so I think the unknown and discovery will be something that motivates the band on Sunday.”
A tribute that looks forward
The timing of the centennial invites reflection: What does it mean to honor artists who themselves resisted nostalgia? Both Davis and Coltrane spent their careers pushing beyond the boundaries of their eras. They were restless experimenters, committed not to a particular style but to the pursuit of truth through sound.
Blanchard and Coltrane approach their legacies with the same restless energy. Their collaboration recognizes that homage in jazz must involve transformation. In their hands, the past is not static; it moves, adapts and surprises. The ensemble’s reinterpretations are expected to honor signature works – pieces that helped define modal jazz, post‑bop and the avant‑garde – while also allowing space for improvisation that reflects the contemporary moment.
Carrying the flame
What makes this event particularly poignant is its dual celebration of lineage – familial and musical. Coltrane carries his father’s unmistakable imprint, while Blanchard’s relationship with Miles Davis’ influence is rooted in decades of study, mentorship and personal artistic evolution.
And yet, neither artist performs as an imitator. Both are innovators in their own right – artists who understand that the best way to honor their predecessors is to expand the boundaries those predecessors pushed against. The centennial concert, then, becomes a bridge between generations: a recognition of what was, a meditation on what is and an exploration of what could be.
“Whether we’re upholding (a legacy) or not,” said Coltrane, “we’re a part of it. I think we’re all in this lineage, and we’re all kind of the children of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman. We’re a part of a continuum, so we honor their legacy every day, but we’re using this year, 2026, to specifically show our gratitude and thanks to these masters.
“But generally speaking, we do that every day as musicians, and that’s why we commit to this music – because of what came before us and how we can be a part of that, and extend it to the players that come after us, in the same way that our peers did. The weight of a legacy, I think, sounds heavy, but the reality is that we’re all part of that. We all do our part in extending these great musical gifts that were passed on to us.”
A moment not to be missed
As the first notes sound beneath Hill Auditorium’s soaring dome, listeners will hear more than familiar melodies. They will hear a conversation across time – between Davis and Coltrane, between tradition and transformation and between two contemporary artists who embody the fearless creativity of the icons they honor.
In a year filled with centennial celebrations, this one stands apart. It is not a museum piece. It is a living document of jazz’s ongoing evolution, performed by musicians who understand that the truest tribute is to keep the music moving.
Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane
Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial
When: Sunday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m.
Where: Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave. (on the U-M campus)
Tickets: start at $20, ums.org
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Miles, Coltrane centennial celebrated in Ann Arbor concert this weekend
Reporting by Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
