John Coltrane En Motion: Live Rescoring Diasporic Stories of Migration is an immersive film-and-music experience that explores the emotional, cultural, and spiritual pathways of migration through the sonic universe of John Coltrane. By pairing Coltrane’s expansive sound world with two contemporary, feature films: The Queen of My Dreams and Mother of George, the project illuminates diasporic stories of displacement, identity, tradition, and transformation across continents.

A collaboration between BlackStar, ArtPhilly, FringeArts, and Anthony Tidd, the project launches with two performances in which each screening features an all-star ensemble performing newly arranged interpretations of Coltrane’s music, interwoven with live improvisation that responds to the film in real time. The result is a singular, unrepeatable experience—a living conversation between cinema and sound.

At its core, the project draws a through-line between the Great Migration—central to Coltrane’s artistic evolution—and the experiences of today’s diasporic communities, who navigate contemporary society while balancing inherited cultural traditions with the ongoing work of personal self-discovery.

This event is hosted as a part of Art Philly’s What Now: 2026, an inaugural city-wide multi-disciplinary arts festival. The events are free to attend and will take place at FringeArts. Join us on June 10 for the live rescoring of The Queen of My Dreams and June 12 for the live rescoring of Mother of George.