Branford Marsalis has shared “Central Park West,” his new version of the John Coltrane ballad, from the forthcoming tribute album Dedicated to You. The album is due September 18 in celebration of the centennial of Coltrane’s birth and is available for pre-order. Marsalis performs “Central Park West” on soprano saxophone in a duet with pianist Joey Calderazzo.
Dedicated to You also features vocalist Dianne Reeves with Marsalis’ Quartet on renditions of the six standards from the 1963 Impulse album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Marsalis said the project was intended to honor the breadth of Coltrane’s musical language, which drew from swing, early R&B, post-bop, and other traditions. “His embodiment of all these sides of music is what any musician – of any style – should strive to achieve,” Marsalis said. “It was our privilege to honor his contributions to jazz. We hope to have done justice to his ideals.”
Engineer Rob Hunter recorded the album at Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia, a venue Marsalis and Calderazzo had previously used for duo performances in 2012. Marsalis said that experience influenced the decision to return for the sessions. “Joey and I played duos in that venue in 2012, and we were shocked by the quality of the room’s sound,” he said. “We needed a room like that, wide enough to capture our sound and Dianne’s sound.”
The Branford Marsalis Quartet released Belonging on March 28, 2025, marking Marsalis’ Blue Note Records debut with a full-album interpretation of Keith Jarrett’s 1974 ECM record of the same name. Belonging later received a nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026. Wake Forest University also named Marsalis its 2025 Maya Angelou Artist-in-Residence, a role that included campus teaching and a masterclass. In July 2026, the Dedicated to You campaign began with “They Say It’s Wonderful,” one of the vocal selections featuring Reeves.
