Steve Coleman and Five Elements fire-up at CBSO Centre, Birmingham
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Chicago altoist Steve Coleman has distilled his source material down to an essential four or five notes, together with a linking rhythm and stress.
From such a foundation Coleman was able to begin a series of pieces stretching over nearly two hours.
Electric six-string bassist Anthony Tidd joined him, playing a four-note repeating riff with a big, fat sound, and drummer Sean Rickman added a rich, expansive beat, which made the riff blossom. It bloomed wider and wider still as Coleman further expanded his extension on those four notes, and trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson joined him in harmony or simultaneous improv, choosing his moments with care, dropping out at times, then re-entering to bring a different aspect to the music.
Coleman calls it spontaneously composed jazz music, its foundations going deep down not only into jazz, especially of that other Coleman – Ornette – but also into African drumming, contemporary composed music, blues, rock and R&B.
– Peter Bacon
@jazzbreakfast