Motherland Pulse

I have David Gilmore’s CD „Ritualism“ … and some other CDs of ex-sidemen of the Coleman-Band (Milne, Tidd, Iyer, Rickman’s DVD, Angas Video). But if you love Coleman’s music: Forget the rest. They are really great in the Coleman-Band because Coleman seems to play TWO instruments at the same time: his sax and the band.

Here is the “normal” Smitty Smith (without Coleman):
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Marvin_Smith.html

Joined : 11 Sep 2006 Posts : 137

Joined : 11 Sep 2006 Posts : 137

Thanks, Charles. There's plenty of good info there for me to catch up on. Wish I could get ahold of Davids Ritualism CD....sounds excellent from your recommendations.

Free

I also forgot to mention Vijay Iyer. He didn't stay long with Steve. He's probably my favorite piano player these days. I saw him live recently in DC that was really good.
I will recommend "Reimagining" and also his work in trio with Steve Lehman , they have a group called "Fieldwork". I think Tyshawn Sorey the new Steve's drummer worked with Fieldwork for a while.

CM

Joined : 11 Sep 2006 Posts : 137

You're killing me. I don't have the funds right now to buy new music. I'll be contacting you when the cash flow improooooves.

Damn

Joined : 03 Apr 2006 Posts : 276 Localisation : Paris

Very interresting discussion (one more ?)

I think one of the high point in Steve's character is the way he is leading his group...and also how he is leading individualities.

As a road manager with steve since early 2003, I have witnessed not only the music but also the relationship between musicians.
This is truly the best thing that happend to me, very interresting insight from the inside.

In many aspects, steve is asking A LOT from his musicians. Not only in terms of skills, technique etc but also in terms of mentaly challenging ideas.

It's not like you go on stage, you play, you go back to the hotel, you sleep, you move next gig, you play etc....

When on tour, there is a constant process of teaching the music. every occasion is good for Steve to show some ideas, explaining some concepts or even disserting about some elements he thought is important to understand the whole picture.
this man is the hardest working man I've ever met !

He is asking a lot from his musicians (and generally speaking from people he work with also) , and sometimes this could bring stressfull situation.
But he also gives a lot, and this is the basic of his teaching ideas I think.

Some kind of give and take teaching principle. Something that you can find in every "Master and student" situation from the past, something you would think possible in Tai Chi art, indian music etc.
Some teaching principle that has almost disapeared in modern teaching schools.

so, some musicians takes a lot and they have to give a lot, that is the musicians that were part of the different steve's groups.

Look at how long a concert is, never less than 2 hours, sometimes 3 and in general 2 and a half !
If you want to be creative for More than 2 hours in Steve's music, you have to work a lot, I can tell you.

So to me thoses musicians worked a lot to really fit in Steve's ideas, very often they had to change their minds about a lot of stuff too.
How many people do you know, very good in what they are doing, that can accept the idea they have to go back to learning ?

this is very hard.

that's mainly why steve is working with a lot of young cats.

I was collectionning a lot of music from steve's group members, also I was working at the Fnac Music store in france as a import jazz/World product manager.
So I had the ability to buy CD's and trying to sell it in Stores.

One of the first thing I did was looking for Steve's previous partners, like Gene LAke, David Gilmore's Ritualism, Ralph Alessi, Andy Milne, Vijay's etc.

The main problem I had in the beginning is that I had to accept the idea thoses musicians had their own language, their own taste and therefore they didnt come out with MBase type shit.
they had their own mind ! and they played their own music, simply as that.
It was not a bis version of 5 elements stuff.

And I must say some of thoses cats records are vey good, they never really had the exposure they deserved but I still listen to a lot of ex elements musicians.

I might say Ralph Alessi's CD's stands as one of my favorite album in the last 10 years.
David Gilmore's is very good too.

Andy Milne music is so much better live that I keep listen to those live tapes I have.

Greg osby's "Banned in NY" is killing.

Vijay's music with Fieldwork is deep, like it a lot too.

And i cant wait to hear Jonathan Finlayson debut album.

well, they are the ones I thinkin about at the moment.

Steve Coleman's group is more than a group name, it is a school, the hardest I've ever seen and I much respect the musicians that spend so many hours attending the classwork Very Happy

_________________
www.stevecolemanarchives.com

Joined : 11 Sep 2006 Posts : 137

I love what you wrote, Dim. Again, its good to have you back in the forum.

Respect,

Scott