Steve Coleman and the M-Base collective are the guys (and ladies) that, in my opinion, saved jazz as an authentic and creative genre during the 80’s, which were an era of electronic music, simple beats and melodies: synth-pop oriented times, with funny haircuts and practically no intention of improvising anything, both onstage and in the studio. An era totally opposed to the principles of jazz: improvisation, skillful instrumentalists, complex rhythmic structures, etc. The 80’s brought professional jazz musicians to the verge of extinction, with record downfall in sales and almost no presence or influence in the world of popular culture. There was smooth jazz, but for me, it is smooth far more than it is jazz. But the future, although almost gone, was not lost! There were young cats still exploring and developing further the realms of Jazz (with a capital J), and amongst them - Steve Coleman. Born and raised in Chicago, he moved to New York in 1978 where he put together with trumpeter Graham Haynes, the group that would evolve into the ensemble Steve Coleman and Five Elements that would serve as the primary band for Coleman's activities. In this group, he developed his concept of improvisation within nested looping structures. Coleman collaborated with other young African-American musicians such as Cassandra Wilson and Greg Osby, and they founded the so-called M-Base movement.
Luckily the 80’s are long gone now, but Steve Coleman and his Five Elements are still creative as ever. In 2013 they recorded the album “Functional Arrhythmias” which conceptually explores the links between human biology and music, particularly the human heartbeat. (Coleman was always a philosopher as much as a musician, having concepts behind his music almost every time he recorded.) On the release, he was joined by trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, bass guitarist Anthony Tidd, drummer Sean Rickman, and guitarist Miles Okazaki, a multi-talented newcomer in Coleman’s musical company. The music is more accessible and much warmer than his previous releases, organized in 14 pieces, relatively short, in jazz terms. This might just be one of the best Steve Coleman albums in the past decade. Highly recommended for all jazz fans, especially those interested in a more cerebral and advanced approach.
