Brian Levy grew up in La Jolla listening to John Coltrane records. He named his son Coltrane. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on Coltrane's music. On Friday, Aug. 28, Levy brings a centennial tribute to the legendary saxophonist to the La Jolla Community Center's Fourth Friday Jazz Concert Series.

Levy, director of jazz studies at San Diego State University, will perform with double bassist Luca Alemanno and pianist Jason Shattil in an intimate, no-intermission set running from 8 to 9:15 p.m. at 6811 La Jolla Blvd.

The concert is part of "Coltrane 100," a yearlong global celebration marking 100 years since Coltrane's birth on Sept. 23, 1926, in Hamlet, North Carolina.

Levy, a tenor saxophonist who has played jazz for more than 40 years, attended La Jolla Elementary and La Jolla High before spending a decade on faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He returned to La Jolla in 2023 to lead SDSU's jazz program, which has since tripled its enrollment and added a Jazz Vocals emphasis.

"When I first heard his music, it was a little bit like … what people would describe as a religious epiphany," Levy told the San Diego Union-Tribune in March, ahead of a separate Coltrane tribute at The Conrad. "It connected with me so deeply that it was my life dream and journey to celebrate jazz and John Coltrane's music."

Alemanno, originally from Lecce, Italy, won first prize at the 2009 European Bass Day and was the first Italian musician accepted to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance. He now teaches jazz combos and jazz bass at SDSU alongside Levy.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with a reception. Tickets are $25 for La Jolla Community Center members, $30 for non-members and $35 at the door. Free valet parking is included, according to the community center's series page. Refreshments, beer and wine will be available for purchase. General seating is first-come, first-served.

The Fourth Friday Jazz Series continues Sept. 25 with trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos performing "Voices of Jazz" and Oct. 23 with vocalist-bassist Kristin Korb in "The Vocal Side of Ray Brown." Tickets and information are available at ljcommunitycenter.org/ffjs or by calling (858) 459-0831.