Ascension Northwest began for me in about 1971. I was in college at the time, playing drums with my fellow students and the music we played is now called "Classic Rock". Back then it was called "Rock". Jimi Hendrix, Cream, the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers, etc. One day a jazz saxophonist friend of mine sat me down and made me listen to John Coltrane recording, "Live at Birdland". After I heard the tune "Alabama" on that recording, I was never the same again. I had never heard such a spiritual piece. I had never heard jazz that sounded and felt like that. Thus began my interest in jazz drumming and a love and appreciation of the John Coltrane Quartet that continues to this day. Fast forward to 2016, when I was driving and listening to a jazz radio station. The dj announced that Coltrane's 90th birthday was fast approaching on September 23rd, 2016. Being so full of love and appreciation for John's music as I was, I immediately said to myself, " I have to do something about this!" When I arrived at home, I felt called to listen to the iconic Coltrane recording, "Ascension".

I immediately started working on a composition for 11 players and I named it "Ascension Northwest". My piece consisted of multiple tutti sections (all 11 musicians playing at once), interwoven with sections for each individual to have the opportunity to play a solo. I composed a melodic theme for each of the full ensemble sections. At the end of each of these sections a solo starts, and each solo has different instruments accompanying it. One of the sections is unaccompanied tenor saxophone. Another is a duo for two bassists, while others sections have three or more players accompanying the soloists.

We had the pleasure of recording Edition I (studio version) in the studio at Jack Straw Productions and Edition II live at the Royal Room . Thus, in the spirit of Coltrane's piece, of recording Editions I and II, Ascension Northwest also presents two performances of my piece; both recorded in Seattle.

-Don Berman