Steve Coleman's Elemental Music (And You Should Dance To It!)

Photo: Montreal Jazz Fest

The best person to describe the music of Steve Coleman is the man himself. The alto saxophonist, composer, conceptualist, and community educator/activist, he has spent over three decades creating his own musical language. The M-Base Collective, an organization that Coleman founded around 1984, takes its cues from the AACM from Chicago, the composer's hometown.  If you click on the link above, you can see how musicians have collaborated together as members of the various bands that Coleman leads or have worked with him in other ways.

Over the decades, Coleman has led and continues to lead numerous ensembles but, most consistently, has worked with The Five Elements.  The current quintet, featuring Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Miles Okazaki (electric guitar), Anthony Tidd (electric bass), and Sean Rickman (drums), has been together for over five years.  That lineup's debut was the powerful 2013 "Functional Arrhythmias" (Pi Recordings). Both Rickman and Tidd had worked with Coleman in earlier versions of the group while Finlayson has been part of the the ensemble since 2000. Okazaki joined in 2009 while building his own solo career.  Over the past four years, the group has been involved in a series of weeks-long residencies in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and others, that go beyond just concerts and into outreach to underserved communities and more.

The ensemble's latest musical adventure is "Steve Coleman and The Five Elements: Live at The Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets)" (Pi Recordings).  The two-disc, 150 minute, program was recorded during the Quintet's residency in May 2017 (Volume 2 was recorded at this year's residency).  Coleman fans do not need a review; they know to expect an amazing blend of rhythms, spontaneous melodies, intelligent interactions, and one tremendous rhythm section.  Coleman has stated that his musical style was greatly influenced by Charlie Parker - one can hear that in his tart tone, the rapid-fire riffs that often serve as melodies, and his energetic approach to solos.  What bassist Tidd and drummer Rickman do is make this music dance.  There are numerous examples throughout the two sets of rhythmic abandon.  Think of Clyde Stubblefield (drummer for James Brown in his most popular era, 1965-1974) and bassists Bernard Odums and Bootsy Collins (both who worked for Brown in that era) jamming backstage with Sun Ra or Albert Ayler.  Tidd and Rickman don't just drive this band, they help the music take alternate routes.

The music is, at turns, exhilarating, demanding, forceful, hurtling forward on the power of group interactions - whether the band is playing older material or working through brand-new compositions, the spirit of spontaneous improvisation can be felt from note one.  Even Coleman favorites, like his reading of fellow alto saxophonist Bunky Greene's "Little Girl I'll Miss You" has a spontaneous arrangement - you can hear it twice on Disk 1 and it's fascinating to hear the difference between the two. The unaccompanied alto intro remains (though Coleman changes his approach on each rendition) but how the band comes in is different and, of course, so are the solos.  

Just pay attention.  If you do, you can bask in how Finlayson and the leader interact throughout, hear how Okizaki adds his distinctive voice to the songs, and, of course, the splendid rhythm section. Tidd's electric bass work is delightfully articulate while Rickman's polyrhythmic funk-swing-groove conjures up Sam Woodyard with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (check out "rmt/Figit Time" that opens the second set), Max Roach, Billy Cobham, and Dafnis Prieto without sounding like anyone in particular.

So, dig into "Live at The Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets)", listen closely, and then go see Steve Coleman and Five Elements in person for yourself.  Try and stay in your seat.

Release date is August 10, 2018.

For more information, go to pirecordings.com/artists/steve-coleman/ and/or m-base.com.  

Give a listen:

Music With Deep Roots & Feelings

Photo: Ssirus Pakzad

Alto saxophonist and composer Román Filiú, born in Santiago de Cuba and now a resident of New York City, has created quite a busy career.  He performs and records with Henry Threadgill's Ensemble Double Up and with drummer Dafnis Prieto. He has also worked with fellow saxophonist David Murray, pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Marta Sánchez, and Chucho Valdés plus drummer-composer Doug Hammond.  His first album as a leader , "Blowin' Reflections", was issued in 2006 on the Spanish Bost Espacio Creativo label while his second, "Musae", was issued in 2012 on Prieto's Dafnison Music imprint.  Both featured fiery playing as well as intelligent compositions that mined the composer's heritage while illustrating how he continually looks forward.

"Quarteria" (Sunnyside Records) literally translates to "house of residence" and "small housing units" - the title also refers to the place where Filiú grew up.  Joining him on this musical adventure is Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Dayna Stephens (tenor sax), David Virelles (piano), Matt Brewer (bass), Craig Weinrib (drums), and Yusnier Sanchez (percussion) plus Maria Grand (tenor sax on two tracks).  The musicianship is superb throughout as Filiú creates an extended suite that show the diversity of his influences (Cuban dance music, classical studies, Afro-Caribean music).  Note the clean tones of the front line, the articulate piano lines, the powerful bass, drums, and percussion but also pay attention to the extended melody lines, the harmonies, and the solos that grow organically from the composer's settings.

Photo: Antonio Porcar Cano

From the opening throbbing rhythms of "Fulcanelli", the listener enters into a musical world at once familiar yet challenging.  Listen to how the melody for the reeds and trumpet is constructed and how the opening solo (Filiú) dips and swerves around the Monkian piano chords and hopscotch rhythms. Virelles, who also hails from Santiago de Cuba, takes a most delightful turn before Stephens engages him in a fascinating musical conversation.  Weinrib, who plays alongside the leader in Ensemble Double Up (as does the pianist), leads the group into "Grass", at first playing a melodic line: then he continues to play around and through the phrases and interactions of the others.  "Choral" is a beautiful ballad with a haunting melody line filled with harmonic turns, Both saxophonists take handsome solos before Virelles's contemplative turn (listen to Brewer's excellent counterpoint during the piano spot).

Filiú composed three "Danzas" for the album.  "#5" comes first and is a short (1 minute) yet thoughtful piano solo that leads into "#1" , a piece that jumps out of the speakers led by the excellent percussion and drums.  The dancing rhythms rumble beneath the soloists, reacting to the dynamics of the players while spurring them forward.  Alessi builds his potent solo not only on the melody line but on the rhythms below him.  Separating "#1" from "#3" is the short but succinct "Glass", an uncomplicated melody line but a powerful piano spotlight. The final "Danza" begins with a fine bass solo before the tolling piano chords lead the rest of the group in.  Here, the trumpet solo darts forward ahead of the beat before Stephens comes in, echoing the percussion.  Virelles takes a fiery solo, weaving atonal chords with rushing single-note runs in a stunning fashion.

Photo: Larisa Lopez

Saxophonist Maria Grand adds her tenor sound to "For Horns and Bells", a short yet lovely piece with a melody reminiscent of John Coltrane's "Central Park West"; in particular, the arrangement reflects the version Jack DeJohnette recorded with his Special Edition in 1980. She also can be heard on the following track, "Tursten", adding her attractive sound to the collective melody line before taking her solo, The rhythm section simmers below her as they do beneath Filiú - the pace picks up, a momentary montuno, right before the close.

"Quarteria" attracts the listener with its intelligent melodies, intricate harmonies, and captivating rhythms.  The sound of this music is so clear, never cluttered, with inventive solos and interactions.  Román Filiú, along with his excellent ensemble, has created an exciting program, music that resonates with one's feet, heart, and soul.

For more information, go to www.romanfiliumusic.com.

Take a listen to the opening track:

Maria Grand creates a unique program on her full-length debut recording. "Magdalena" (Biophilia Records) contains story-songs, instrumental excursions that feature the excellent rhythm section of Rashaan Carter (acoustic and electric bass) and Jeremy Dutton (drums), a pair of duets with guitarist Mary Halvorson, a duet with pianist (and label head) Fabian Almazan, and powerful contributions from pianist David Bryant. The tenor saxophonist wrote all the pieces (including the lyrics) on the album and contributes most of the vocals,

Ms. Grand, a native of Switzerland. moved to New York City in 2011 (at the age of 19) to study and work with Billy Harper, Doug Hammond, the late Von Freeman, and Steve Coleman.  She has recorded with Coleman on his most recent Pi recordings, "Synovial Joints" and "Morphogenesis."

The album opens with "La Immortal", a rubato work that features spoken-word artist Jasmine Wilson (a vocalist and poet) - the words celebrate the feminine aspect of creation while the saxophone, piano (Bryant), and rhythm section skitter beneath the voice. Almazan's piano rumbles, flows, and thunders below Ms. Grand's voice on "Imani/Walk On By", a tribute to vocalist Imani Uzuri. The two tracks with Ms. Halvorson, "Last Year" and "Sing Unborn", both deal with personal relations, although the latter tune is written to Ms. Grand's unborn children.  The blend of guitar and voice has a mysterious quality heightened by the tension in the melody line as well as the sustain and studio echo.

Photo: Gilmatic

For this listener, it's the three-part, 19-minute "T" suite that stands out.  On "T 1: Isis", Ms. Grand winds her way through the melody while Carter's electric bass provides a thick counterpoint and Dutton pounds, rattles, and dances underneath.  "T II: Maria", according to the liner notes represents the "Virgin Birth" of Jesus to Mary and Joseph. After a powerful solo saxophone intro, the rhythm section enters, Carter on acoustic bass and Dutton setting a medium pace Ms, Grand to move seamlessly over.  There are moments on this recording, this being one of them, when you can hear the influence of Steve Coleman and Greg Osby, especially n the way the bass and drums frame the saxophone as well as the adventurous melody lines in the solo. "T III: Magdalena" floats in on acoustic bass and splashing cymbals supporting a formal, Indian-influenced, melody.  The piece opens to a wide-ranging bass solo and when the drugs and saxophone return, the mood returns to the contemplative state of the first part of the track.  However, Dutton is more active, more intense, as a counterpoint to the rolling saxophone lines.  That tension is quite effective and is broken right at the end by a short, bouncy, melody that closes the piece.

Bryant's roiling piano work stands out five tracks on which he joins the band but especially on the trio of pieces that are back-to-back-to-back. "Pyramid Sphere" opens in a funky mood and the pianist immediately launches into a solo. Built off the melodic phrases that open the track, Bryant engages in a a lively give-and-take with the bass and drums. Ms. Grand picks up on that energy, entering into her solo in a playful mood.  A strident piano chord introduces the next track, "Where Is E", and one expects by the saxophone-piano duo, the piece will be a ballad. The pace is slow, with a blues feel, yet moves in unexpected directions (note the excellent bass work).  The final song of the three, "Demonium", has a funky feel, a cross of The Meters with Steve Coleman. Dutton is the focal point here, creating a tension-filled skittish rhythm that influences how Ms. Grand and Bryant respond.

The album closes with the other spoken-word piece, "Ejes y Deseos", which features rapper Amani Fela. With an airy background, a powerful bass line, and several melodic interchanges between the saxophone and piano, the song is a positive close to a program. Among the lines are the opening couplet "May all the creation the children of love/feel the burn of happiness" and the closing couplet "Infinite connection through the hearts/Real life energy shared in the minds of thousands."  There are moments when Ms. Grand's lyrics sound precious but the music beneath the voice has power and a strength that gives the words more depth.

"Magdalena" is a fascinating recording, very different from one might expect of someone so young. Her teachers and mentors obviously heard elements in the music created by Maria Grand to allow her to take flight.  Her voices, singing and saxophone, are already beginning to move away from her mentors: it should be fascinating to hear and see how this artist changes as she grows.

For more information, go to www.mariakimgrand.com.

Here is one of the Trio tracks:

The Languages of Large Ensembles

After a series of genre-breaking albums for Pi Recordings, trumpeter, vocalist ,and composer Amir ElSaffar moves to New Amsterdam Records for "Not Two", a fascinating double-CD, the first to feature his 17-member Rivers of Sound Orchestra. The eight song-program continues his search into adapting Iraqi song forms into Western music while his large ensemble differs from a traditional big band by adding more percussion and stringed instruments (such as the buzuq and oud.  Yet, the band rises and falls on the powerful work of drummer Nasheet Waits and bassist Carlo DeRosa, musicians along with saxophonist Ole Mathisen and oud master Zaafir Tawil who have been members of his Two Rivers Ensemble  since his 2007 debut as a leader ("Two Rivers").

photo by Alice Gebura

It would be unfair to describe each song but it is fascinating to hear how the different voices weave in and out of and around the enthralling rhythms.  Also striking is the composer's use of several voices working in counterpoint (for example, how the tenor saxophone and oboe solo together as other voices rise and fall behind them on"Penny Explosion").

"Rivers of Sound" is a perfect name for this group -  for many centuries, the river (and the seas and oceans) was one of the primary sources of cultural and economic movement.  That interaction between people of different cultures, when benign, help to infuse different sounds and words (as well as customs) into the everyday life of cities and countrysides.

These collisions of cultures and ideas are evident throughout the music on "Not Two". The violin with oud and buzuq on the opening of "Layl (Night)" carry the melody; then the vibraphone is added, then the reeds, the santur (hammered dulcimer), more voices added as the percussion thunders and pounds.  Soon, ElSaffar rises out of the storm, a plaintive vocal reaching towards the heavens.  There is also such urgency to this music. Listen to how "Shards of Memory/B Half Flat Fantasy" unfolds, the powerful motion, the different voices (at one point, JD Parran's bass saxophone carries the bottom yet is also in sync with the trumpet and violin), the hypnotic melodic exchanges between oboe and guitar, on and on right up to the glorious "...Fantasy" at the very end.

In essence, to get the full effect of this music, one must listen all the way through. And, when you return, all those different voices stand out more and more. How ElSaffar employs the guitar, how the vibes add lightness, the percussive quality of the piano (akin to Latin dance music), the different sounds of the hand percussion, the reed voices, the violin, and so forth. At times, so soft, the music whispers in your ear; at other times, the ensemble pounds, plucks, and roars pulling the listener into this glorious din.

Above all, Amir ElSaffar makes "human" music: joy, sadness, anger, humor, intermingle with other emotions. Give yourself up to and immerse yourself into "Not Two" - the pleasures are endless.

For more information, go to www.amirelsaffar.com.

Listen here:

Rivers of Sound Orchestra:

Personnel: Amir ElSaffar (trumpet, santur, vocals), Carlo DeRosa (acoustic bass), Craig Taborn (piano), Dena ElSaffar (violin, jowza - 4-stringed bowed instrument), Fabrizio Cassol (alto saxophone), JD Parran (bass saxophone, clarinet), Ole Mathisen (tenor and soprano saxophones), Mohammed Saleh (oboe, English Horn), Naseem Alatrash (cello), Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone), Miles Okazaki (guitar), George Ziadeh (oud, vocals), Tareq Abboushi (buzuq), Nasheet Waits (drums), Rajna Swaminathan (mridangam), Tim Moore (percussion, dumbek, frame drum), Zaafir Tawil (peecussion, oud).

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Steve Coleman, saxophonist, composer, and conceptualist, moves from strength to strength and has done so for nearly four decades. He's won several major awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur "Genius Grant".   Whether leading a large ensemble or a compact quintet, his music is filled with surprises, melodies that move with the deftness of a dancer, and rhythms that draw from all corners of the Black music continuum.

His new album, "Morphogenesis" (Pi Recordings), features a new ensemble, Natal Eclipse, an octet without a drummer (Neeraj Mehta adds a percussive voice on four of the nine tracks but she is not a trap set drummer). Besides the leader, there are two reed players (tenor saxophonist Maria Grand and clarinetist Rane Moore) plus the wondrous voice of Jen Shyu that gives this music a bit of a lighter feel than other Coleman recording.  The composer has stated that this music was inspired by his study and appreciation for boxing, hence titles such as "Shoulder Roll", "Dancing and Jabbing", and "Inside Game." Both Ms. Moore and bassist Greg Chudzik are members of the "modern-classical group Talea Ensemble (and are members, along with violinist Kristin Lee, of the leader's Council of Balance ensemble) while Ms. Grand, Ms. Shyu, trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, and pianist Matt Mitchell have been involved with others of Mr. Coleman's groups.

Two of the nine tracks, "NOH" and "SPAN", are in-studio improvisations and, as such, play into the true meaning of morphogenesis ("...biological process that causes an organism to develop its shape.")  The first piece builds from the percussion slowly developing rhythm, the clarion call of the alto sax, deep bass notes, and Ms. Shyu's vocal into an arresting exploration.  The second piece also starts slowly, this time from a melodic fragment played by the alto sax into a delightful sonic puzzle. Note how each member of the ensemble plays the rhythm of the piece at one time or another.  

It has been noted time and again that Steve Coleman is a musical descendant from Charlie Parker but I can hear Henry Threadgill, at times, in his sound but especially in his adventurous compositions.  The manner in the composer utilizes each voice, how the support of the bass and piano often are in rhythmic counterpoint to the soloists. The clarity of the recording stands out as well, the sonic "weight" of the bass is as important as that of the clarinet and violin, never overshadowing any instrument but equal.  When listening to pieces such as "Morphing" or "Horda", you'll hear echoes of music from the Middle East, the Deep South of the United States, 19th and 20th Century European classical music, be bop, and more, all part of the evolving language of Mr. Coleman's music.  

As with the ElSaffar recording above, listen to "Morphogenesis" all the way through before going into deeper explorations.  Approach the program as a live concert where it is impossible for a listener to hear everything.  Then dig in. Enjoy the powerful melodies, listen to the excellent solos (the leader is generous in making sure every voice is heard throughout), follow the different trails the composer lays out for his ensemble members, take your time to enjoy this impressive recording. Natal Eclipse refers to astrology and certainly has great meaning for the composer. For the purposes of this music, the group is an engaging balancing act.  Steve Coleman is continually exploring and we are the beneficiaries.  

For more information, go to m-base.com/biography/ and to pirecordings.com/album/pi69.

Here's a taste:


Natal Eclipse:
Personnel: Steve Coleman (compositions, alto saxophone), Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Maria Grand (tenor saxophone), Rane Moore (clarinet), Kristin Lee (violin), Jen Shyu (vocals), Matt Mitchell (piano), Greg Chudzik (bass), Neeraj Mehta (percussion).

Connected by Rhythm

By now, most people know Steve Coleman, his various groups, his continuous of the relationship of the body to music, and, of course, his 3-decades old M-Base Collective.

For Mr. Coleman's new CD, "Synovial Joints" (Pi Recordings), he has returned to his Council of Balance (last heard on 1998's "Genesis & The Opening of The Way") - the new recording features up to 21 musicians, including vocalist Jen Shyu and 6 members of the contemporary classic group, the Talea Ensemble. Also on board are current members of his Five Elements group plus other frequent collaborators and a 4-percussion section.

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Now well into his 4th decade of creating music, Mr. Coleman's alto saxophone sound is quite recognizable.  Like another famous Coleman (Ornette), he sounds like himself in any sized-group or musical situation, phrases cascading out of the instrument, a melodic yet percussive style that has its roots in both Charlie Parker and the afore-mentioned Ornette.  His solos have a dancing as well as a conversational quality, leaping atop the rhythms (ably supplied on the new recording by Marcus Gilmore) and the various combinations of strings, brass and reeds.

In his research, Steve Coleman investigated the synovial joints of the human body (defined as "...bounded by a fibrous capsule whose inner membrane secretes a viscous lubricating liquid (synovia), thus allowing a wide range of motion", for example those found in the elbows, knees and shoulders.  The composer/arranger applied his study of how these joints move to create this music, how the sounds move fluidly through each of the 10 tracks, whether playing the themes, the rhythms, or around the soloists. Often in this music, the guitar of Miles Okazaki is used as part of the  percussion section, his "clicking" lines audible above the congas and trap set. On "Harmattan", he plays counterpoint to the berimbau of Nei Sacramento. On the same track, one gets a great example of he composer's musical intentions when the trumpet solo of Jonathan Finlayson is followed by a long series of phrases played the piccolo, alto saxophone and trumpet supported by the echoing strings.  Ms. Shyu's voice stands out on the "multi-cultural" stew of "Celtic Cells", a ballad that slowly builds on the lovely circular melody until the leader steps on a long solo that moves in to and away from the main theme. 

It is tempting to describe every track but the best advice is to listen to this music and draw your own conclusions.  Sit and let the sounds wash over you; close your eyes and follow the paths that Steve Coleman creates with the long, sinewy, melodies and the varying streams of "beats".  Listen to how the different sections move in and out of the sound spectrum. Celebrate the rhythms of this music, rhythms born in Africa, South America, the Middle East and brought to the United States to swirl into the melting pot that became and continues to be Black Music.  "Synovial Joints" is truly music that dances, dances through your body and mind in ways that delight and satisfy.  For more information, go to pirecordings.com/album/pi57.