A mentor and something of a pied piper, Coleman is a hugely influential figure who has aided the careers of peers like Geri Allen, Greg Osby and Cassandra Wilson, as well as nurturing the development of such important younger musicians as Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman and Rudresh Mahanthappa. Over the past two decades, he's turned his band Five Elements into an improviser's academy, attracting a steady flow of exceptional young musicians.
“To me, Steve Coleman is as important as John Coltrane,” says pianist Vijay Iyer, “he has contributed an equal amount to the history of the music. He deserves to be placed in the pantheon of pioneering artists.”...
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A mentor and something of a pied piper, Coleman is a hugely influential figure who has aided the careers of peers like Geri Allen, Greg Osby and Cassandra Wilson, as well as nurturing the development of such important younger musicians as Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman and Rudresh Mahanthappa. Over the past two decades, he's turned his band Five Elements into an improviser's academy, attracting a steady flow of exceptional young musicians.
“To me, Steve Coleman is as important as John Coltrane,” says pianist Vijay Iyer, “he has contributed an equal amount to the history of the music. He deserves to be placed in the pantheon of pioneering artists.”
Born in Chicago in 1956, Coleman moved to New York City in 1978 and has been identified with the City ever since. Initially influenced by saxophonists Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Von Freeman and Bunky Green, Coleman has performed and recorded with Thad Jones, Sam Rivers, drummer Doug Hammond, Cecil Taylor, Abbey Lincoln and Dave Holland. One of the founders of the so-called M-Base movement, Coleman has led several groups and has more than 25 recordings under his name. He has incorporated many elements from the folkloric music of the African Diaspora fused with musical ideas influenced by ancient metaphysical concepts. He has stated that his main concern is the use of music as a language of sonic symbols used to express the nature of human existence.
A concept album inspired by the passage of time and seasonal renewal, Harvesting Semblances and Affinities (Pi, 2010) was Coleman's first widely available domestic release in almost a decade, and a persuasive reminder of his visionary artistry.
Point of Departure.org called his most recent recording, The Mancy of Sound (Pi, 2011), “A vivacious group effort brimming with intricate cross-hatched melodies, oblique harmonies and kaleidoscopic rhythms, The Mancy of Sound follows Harvesting Semblances and Afinities as the strongest albums of Coleman’s career, reinforcing his significance in the development of contemporary jazz.”
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