Meet The Band

Irrelevant Elephant is an eight-piece collective made up of musicians from a variety of backgrounds and generations, brought together by a shared love of groove, jazz, funk, Afrobeat and live performance.

The current line-up features:

• Mark Moranne
• Matt Wagstaff
• Alonso Mendoza-Mereno
• Aimee Moody
• Paul Hodgson
• Ledwyn Delaisse
• Ben Gray
• Phoebe Joy Hutchason

Together they create a rich and dynamic sound built around horns, rhythm, percussion, keyboards, guitar, bass and vocals.

Rather than relying on individual virtuosity, Irrelevant Elephant succeeds because every member serves the song. The result is a collective sound that feels organic, energetic and incredibly enjoyable to listen to.

On Lady Day and John Coltrane, that chemistry is evident from the very first note.

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From Gil Scott-Heron To The South Coast

Before talking about Irrelevant Elephant’s version, it’s worth understanding where this remarkable song came from.

Originally released in 1971 by Gil Scott-Heron on the landmark album Pieces of a Man, Lady Day and John Coltrane has become one of the most loved songs in his catalogue.

The title references two giants of jazz:

Billie Holiday (“Lady Day”)

and

John Coltrane.

Rather than celebrating fame or success, the song celebrates something much more powerful.

The ability of music to heal.

Billie Holiday – Lady Day

Born in 1915, Billie Holiday remains one of the most influential vocalists in jazz history.

Known for classics such as:

• Strange Fruit
• God Bless The Child
• Lover Man

Holiday’s emotional honesty changed the way singers approached performance.

Her ability to communicate feeling through music remains almost unmatched.

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John Coltrane – The Saxophone Revolutionary

Born in 1926, John Coltrane is widely regarded as one of the greatest saxophonists who ever lived.

His recordings including:

• Giant Steps
• Blue Train
• A Love Supreme

continue to influence musicians across jazz, funk, soul and modern music today.

The sound of Coltrane’s saxophone can still be heard echoing through countless artists and genres.

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What Is Lady Day And John Coltrane About?

At its heart, the song carries a wonderfully simple message.

When life becomes difficult…

Put on a Billie Holiday record.

Put on a John Coltrane record.

For a few minutes, everything feels a little better.

It’s a song about comfort.

A song about hope.

A song about the power of music itself.

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The Moment It Clicked

When I first heard Irrelevant Elephant’s version, something happened almost immediately.

I smiled.

Not because I knew the song.

Not because I knew the band.

But because the groove was impossible to resist.

Over the following days that single track led me down a musical rabbit hole involving The James Taylor Quartet, forgotten albums on old hard drives, Paolo Nutini’s Pencil Full of Lead and eventually back to Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.

The funny thing is that Irrelevant Elephant don’t particularly sound like any of those artists.

What they share is something more important.

They share a feeling.

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Why This Version Works

The rhythm section is exceptional.

The drums never force the groove.

They guide it.

There’s finesse throughout the performance. The snare and cymbals shimmer rather than dominate, creating movement and swing that feels completely natural.

Underneath sits a bass line that deserves special mention.

Walking, dancing and gliding around the song, it acts as the hidden engine driving everything forward. It constantly moves whilst somehow remaining effortless.

It’s impossible not to imagine the bass player physically grooving while performing it.

If I were playing that bass line, I’d be bouncing around the stage like a flea.

The horn section adds another layer of magic.

The saxophones create warmth, texture and momentum whilst the trumpet appears in short bursts and phrases that seem to float above the arrangement before disappearing back into the groove.

Underpinning everything is a gorgeous electric piano sound that immediately evokes memories of late-night jazz clubs and classic 1970s recordings.

Never dominant.

Always present.

Always adding atmosphere.

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The Voice

A special mention must go to the vocalist, whose vocal performance sits at the very heart of this recording.

Warm.

Soulful.

Expressive.

The performance effortlessly moves between softness, grit and power whilst remaining completely in service of the song.

There is a subtle character to her voice that allows it to cut through the arrangement without ever overpowering it.

At times there is a warmth and swing that brings to mind the character and ease of performers such as Paolo Nutini, whilst remaining entirely her own.

What makes the performance even more impressive is discovering that she is also the band’s trumpet player.

Suddenly the phrasing, breath control and effortless delivery make perfect sense.

Some singers hit notes.

Others make you feel them.

This vocalist does exactly that.

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Why We Chose It

By the time this article was written, Lady Day and John Coltrane had been played more times than we care to admit.

What started as a quick listen became several days of repeat plays, musical exploration and a journey through forgotten albums and memories.

That doesn’t happen very often.

The best music doesn’t always remind you of another song.

Sometimes it reminds you of a feeling.

Lady Day and John Coltrane by Irrelevant Elephant did exactly that.

It swings.

It grooves.

It breathes.

And long after it finishes, you’ll probably find yourself pressing play again.

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In-Depth Exploration of Iconic Song Insights

Discover the story behind Gil Scott-Heron’s timeless classic Lady Day and John Coltrane, and find out why South Coast collective Irrelevant Elephant sent Music Scene Magazine down a four-day musical rabbit hole.