Jazz on 3 - Ralph Alessi

Jez Nelson presents a gig recorded at the 2008 Cheltenham Jazz Festival, featuring trumpeter Ralph Alessi's group This Against That, with guest Ravi Coltrane on saxophone, Andy Milne on piano, Drew Gress on bass and Mark Ferber on drums. A veteran of 15 years on the New York scene, Alessi has gained a reputation as one of the jazz world's most formidable players, collaborating with the likes of Steve Coleman, Uri Caine, Don Byron and Fred Hersch. Since moving to New York in 1991 from his native California, Alessi has become a key figure in the city's jazz and improvised music scene. As well as releasing four albums as a leader - including two with This Against That - he works as founding director at the School for Improvisational Music in Brooklyn. The son of the iconic John Coltrane, Ravi has emerged as one of the saxophone's unique voices, having played with some of jazz's foremost names including Jack DeJohnette, Rashied Ali, and Elvin Jones.