Charles Funn & The Funn Band Play John Coltrane

Join Charles Funn and The Funn Band as they honor the centennial year of the great John Coltrane with a powerful tribute featuring some of his most celebrated compositions and timeless masterpieces.

John Coltrane (1926 - 1967) departed this mortal almost 60 years ago; today he remains among us, more alive than ever. His sound continues to grab the ears of an ever-widening circle of fans. His legend is stone solid: planted firmly in our culture as that of any 20th century musical giant. His saxophone sound—brooding, searching, dark—is still one of the most recognizable in modern jazz. His influence stretches over styles and genres, and transcends cultural boundaries.  

Charles Funn, a graduate of Morgan Stage College is a retired band instructor (44 years) with the BCPSS. In addition to being a music instructor, he was and is a practicing professional musician having played behind and with Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Gladys Knight, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Dells, Clark terry, Dizzy Gillespie, The Morgan State university Concert & Jazz Bands and The Howard University Jazz Ensemble.

Charles awards include numerous Mayoral Citations, Jazz Journalist’s Association Jazz Hero Award for 2015, The Benny Golson Jazz Masters Award for 2018 presented by Howard University and The Baltimore Jazz Alliance Award for 2022. He currently performs with Dr. Phil Butts Big Band, Bowie State University Community Jazz Ensemble, The New World Outreach Jazz Orchestra, The Clarence Knight Orchestra and The Funn Band. Funn started, trained and developed countless future musicians as he nurtured and guided the musical development of Baltimore’s youth.