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Evidenced throughout Dig My Trane, Gruntz’s ironclad commitment to Coltrane music is equal to the breadth of his musical intelligence; this special combination guides his conducting and arranging of nine Coltrane originals and two other songs of the early-1960s that are identified with the great saxophonist. His fond endorsement of what he calls Coltrane’s “standard period” comes through crystal-clear via his sharp, painterly eye for combining or breaking down instruments and sections, his ordering of soloists, his blends of sectional colors, and his use of dynamics. Unlike many gifted musicians who stumble when visiting sacred jazz ground due to stifling rectitude or self-conceit, Gruntz and the expert players of the NDR Big Band take delight in interpreting Coltrane music with humility and risk-taking that surely touches the minds and hearts of listeners.