Mobile Jazz Musicians to Pay Tribute to John Coltrane at Brickyard Christmas Show

A lineup of local and regional jazz musicians will gather at Brickyard on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile the day after Christmas for the John Coltrane Christmas Party, an annual tribute to the saxophone legend that has become a holiday-season tradition for the city’s jazz community. The show is set for Sunday, Dec. 26, at 9 p.m. at the venue, located at 266 Dauphin St., with tickets priced at $8 and available through Brickyard’s website.

Coltrane is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century jazz. His modal approach to improvisation pushed the genre into new territory, and his recordings continue to shape how musicians approach rhythm, tone and structure decades after his death. For years, players from Mobile and the broader Gulf Coast region have used the days around Christmas to celebrate that legacy with a show built around free-flowing, collaborative jazz.

This Year’s Lineup Blends Old and New

This year’s edition brings together a mix of familiar faces and new additions. Keyboardist Chris Spies, known locally for his work with N.E.R.F. the World and the Honey Island Swamp Band, returns to lead the group. His son, saxophonist Christopher Spies, who has also performed with touring artist Samantha Fish, will handle the saxophone duties central to any Coltrane tribute. The elder Spies has anchored the annual show for years, and his son’s growing profile on the road has added another dimension to the family’s shared musical pursuits.

Rounding out the rhythm section will be drummer Jermal Watson, a New Orleans-based player, alongside bassist Owen Finley. Guitarist Brooks Hubbert, known for his enthusiasm for live improvisation, completes the core group. Together, the musicians are expected to lean into the extended, exploratory jams that have defined the tribute’s reputation among local jazz fans.

New Orleans Percussionist Joins the Bill

Joining the group for the evening is percussionist Mike Dillon, who will travel from New Orleans to take part in the tribute. Dillon is a versatile percussionist, but his playing on the vibraphone, often enhanced with effects pedals, has drawn particular attention for producing sounds not typically associated with the instrument. His resume includes work with Les Claypool of Primus and the Claypool Lennon Delirium, singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Dillon is also a regular presence during both weekends of the New Orleans Jazz Fest, where he frequently sits in with a range of acts across the festival grounds.

Coltrane, who was born in North Carolina in 1926 and died in 1967 at age 40, recorded landmark albums including “Giant Steps” and “A Love Supreme,” and his recordings of “My Favorite Things” helped popularize the soprano saxophone in modern jazz.

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