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Steve Coleman
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise. Looking for the best improvising musicians to listen to is what brought Steve to the music of Charlie Parker, although it helped that his father listened to Parker all the time. After spending two years at Illinois Wesleyan University Steve transferred to Roosevelt University (Chicago Music College) in downtown Chicago in order to concentrate on Chicago's musical nightlife. Specifically Coleman had been introduced to the improvisations of Chicago premier saxophonists Von Freeman, Bunky Green, Gido Sinclair, Sonny Greer and others and he wanted to hang out and learn from these veterans. By the time he left Chicago in May 1978, he was holding down a decent gig leading a band at the New Apartment Lounge, writing music, playing Parker classics, and getting increasingly dissatisfied with what he felt was a creative dead end in the Chicago scene.
After hearing groups from New York led by masters like Max Roach, Art Blakey, Woody Shaw, The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sonny Rollins, etc. come through Chicago with bands that featured great players with advanced musical conceptions, Steve knew where he wanted to go next. He felt he needed to be around this kind of atmosphere in order to grow musically.
Hitchhiking to New York and staying at a YMCA in Manhattan for a few months, he scuffled until he picked up a gig with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band, which led to stints with the Sam Rivers Big Band, Cecil Taylor's Big Band and others. Soon he begun cutting records as a sideman with those leaders as well as pivotal figures like David Murray, Doug Hammond, Dave Holland, Mike Brecker and Abbey Lincoln. However it was really the influence of Von Freeman and Bunky Green in Chicago, Thad Jones, Sam Rivers, Doug Hammond in New York and listening to recordings of past improvising masters and music from West Africa that got Coleman turned around musically. . The most important influences on his music at this time was listening to tenor saxophonist Von Freeman (who primarily influenced Coleman as an improviser), saxophonist Sam Rivers (who influenced Steve compositionally) and drummer/composer Doug Hammond (who was especially important in Steve's conceptual thinking).
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Celebrating innovative releases from the Pi Recording catalog
by Hobart Taylor
This week we feature Pi Recording artists including the Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Anna Webber, Steve Coleman and the Five Elements, Luke Stewart, Jen Shyu, Henry Threadgill, Patricia Brennan, Matt Mitchell, Kate Gentile and others. Playlist Aaron Parks Little Beginnings" from Little Big III (Blue Note) 0:00 Brandee Younger Tickled Pink" from Somewhere Different (Impulse) 4:48 Host Speaks 7:47 Patricia Brennan Solar" from Maquishti (Valley of Search) 9:08 Christopher Hoffman Henry Threadgill What Comes" from Vision is the Identity ...
Continue ReadingSteve Coleman, Berne/Formanek & Arthur Blythe
by Maurice Hogue
If you are as big a fan of Steve Coleman as I am, you will most definitely dig his latest release, Poly Tropos/Of Many Turns, which captures Steve and Five Elements tearing it up at live performances in France earlier this year. Toronto electric bassist Rich Brown contributes an amazing pulse throughout, and Coleman's on fire as usual. Relative Pitch Records has managed to come up with the very first recorded meeting of saxophonist Tim Berne & bassist Michael Formanek; ...
Continue ReadingMy Conversation with Steve Coleman
by AAJ Staff
This article first appeared at All About Jazz in July 1999. The pressure to succeed in music is so heavy, the monkey on artists' backs must feel like King Kong. With so many fearing the guillotine of inconsequentiality, it is no wonder artists feel the inherent need to dress in see-through chain mail to MTV award shows or create and re-create themselves, going through more image makeovers than they have records. It all gives me a headache. But ...
Continue ReadingBasketball and Jazz: The Art of Improvisation, Part 2
by Ludovico Granvassu
As continue exploring the connections between jazz and basketball, in this set we focus on compositions inspired by iconic athletes like LeBron James, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan, George Gervin, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. At the top of the set a collaboration between Quincy Jones and Shaquille O'Neal.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Quincy Jones feat. Shaquille O'Neal Stomp" Q's Jook Joint (Qwest) 0:16 Host talks 6:29 ...
Continue ReadingSteve Coleman Five Elements Sala degli Arazzi-Piacenza Jazz Festival 2024
by Danilo Codazzi
A collection of photos from the Steve Coleman Five Elements concert at Piacenza Jazz Festival 2024 in Piacenza on March 2, 2024 featuring Steve Coleman, Jonathan Finlayson, Rich Brown and Sean Rickman. ...
Continue ReadingA Hip-Hop Jazz Thing @50 - Part 1
by Ludovico Granvassu
Hip-Hop's birthday has been officially identified as August 11, 1973 and many initiatives marking its fiftieth anniversary are already under way. Should you catch yourself wondering--as a jazz fan--about how jazz and hip hop influenced one other... you may find a few clues on this program. And since you're in a celebratory mood, you can also celebrate the airing 250th episode of Mondo Jazz. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & ...
Continue ReadingJazzkaar 2023
by Martin Longley
Jazzkaar Tallinn, Estonia April 23-30, 2023 Jazzkaar has now lost two days, this exceptional Estonian festival running at eight rather than ten, but still remaining epic when compared to most others. The opening Sunday might have only featured a single concert, but as the fresh week progressed, the scale incrementally increased, hitting four shows by Wednesday, and six by the weekend. Tallinn, this wondrous UNESCO City Of Music provides a highly evocative surround for the 34th ...
Continue ReadingJazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise. Looking for the best improvising musicians to listen to ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise. Looking for the best improvising musicians to listen to ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Music Education Monday: Workshops with saxophonist Steve Coleman
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Though he doesn't categorize his music as jazz," Steve Coleman has been a significant player on the contemporary improvised music scene since the 1980s as a saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. A 2014 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship (aka the genius grant"), Coleman (pictured) is a 59-year-old Chicago native who's been called one of the most rigorously conceptual thinkers in improvised music" by the New York Times. He's noted particularly as one of the originators and chief promulgator of M-BASE, ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today! Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more. Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today! Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more. Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Steve Coleman
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Steve Coleman's birthday today!
Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Evan Tate
saxophone, altoDonna Lee Sax4
saxophoneRichard Oppenheim
saxophone, altoAndy Milne
pianoStéphane Mercier
saxophone, altoDmitry Tsepilov
saxophone, altoNicola Fazzini
saxophone, altoBranko Arnsek
bass, acousticOguz Buyukberber
clarinet, bassLuca Dell'Anna
pianoAndrea Grillini
drumsKenny Kirkwood
vocalsKenta Shimakawa
guitarJavier Red
pianoJohan Renard
violinMirco Ballabene
bass, acousticHanna Inui
pianoFunk Elastic
band / ensemble / orchestraClaudio Cardito Carditology
band / ensemble / orchestraPhotos
Music
Jan 18
From: The Mancy of SoundBy Steve Coleman