“Passion for Bach and Coltrane” is a work for wind quintet, string quartet, jazz trio and orator. 
The work was co-commissioned by Johnson City Community College and The Festival of Arts and Ideas in 2013 and premiered in 2014.

I was inspired by the poetry of A. B. Spellman, from his book of poems "Things I Must Have Known", (c) 2008 Coffee 
House Press. The poetry speaks to the musical mastery of J.S. Bach, John Coltrane and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, as well as 
religion and mortality.

I had long desired to set poetry to music and was particularly drawn to that of A.B. Spellman because of his strong 
references to both jazz and classical music as well as the question of faith. The tradition of Passions or musical settings 
of the Gospel narratives dates to the 4th Century. Bach wrote several though only two have survived. Here the premise of 
the Passion is explored rather than the actual Biblical accounts. Orated poems in lieu of the intoned Gospel. Bach, 
Coltrane, Rubalcaba and Spellman in lieu of the traditional Biblical characters. And though the work is original, it is 
anchored by this poetry with reference to two significant works by Bach and Coltrane, The Goldberg Variations and A 
Love Supreme, works written at the pinnacle of their maturation. “Passion” explores the influence of spirituality on the
art of these masters and asks the inevitable question, what if JS Bach and John Coltrane might chance to meet? 

The PASSION ENSEMBLE and TEAM: A.B. Spellman, orator Imani Winds Brandon Patrick George, flute and piccolo Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe Mark Dover, clarinet Kevin Newton, horn Monica Ellis, bassoon Harlem Quartet Ilmar Gavilán, violin Melissa White, violin Jaime Amador, viola Felix Umansky, cello Alex Brown, piano Edward Perez, bass Neal Smith, drums Executive Producer: Toyin Spellman-Diaz Producer: Silas Brown, Mark Dover Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer: Silas Brown, Doron Schachter Assistant Engineer: Michael Schwartz Recorded June 28-29th, 2023 at The Dimenna Center for Classical Music