..:: audio-music dot info ::..


Main Page    The Desert Island    Copyright Notice
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz


Steve Coleman: Resistance is Futile

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Steve Coleman
Title: Resistance is Futile
Released: 2001.10.16
Label: Label Bleu
Time: 67:53 / 67:13
Producer(s): Steve Coleman
Appears with:
Category: Jazz
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2001.12.18
Price in €: 18,99
Web address: www.m-base.com

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


Set one: Abundance (Fullness)
[1] Wheel of Nature (S.Coleman) - 18:54
[2] Beyond all we Know (S.Coleman) - 6:05
[3] 9 to 5 (S.Coleman) - 14:42
[4] Change the Guard (S.Coleman) - 8:57
[5] Ah-Leu-Cha (Ch.Parker) - 5:28
[6] Law of Balance / Figit Time (S.Coleman/D.Hammond) - 13:49

Set two: The Wanderer
[1] Resistance is Futile (Limitation) (S.Coleman) - 15:14
[2] Hits / Straight no Chaser (S.Coleman/T.Monk) - 6:10
[3] Easy Living (L.Robin/R.Ranger) - 7:07
[4] Urban (S.Coleman) - 7:37
[5] Flint (J.Goldsmith) - 2:55
[6] Straight Ahead (M.Waldron) - 5:46
[7] Reflex (S.Coleman) - 5:59

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Steve Coleman and The Five Elements:
STEVE COLEMAN - Alto-Saxophone, Vocals, Mixing, Liner Notes
JONATHAN FINLAYSON - Trumpet
AMBROSE CAMPBELL-AKINMUSIRE - Trumpet
ANDY MILNE - Piano, Keyboards
ANTHONY TIDD - Bass
JESÚS DIAZ - Percussion, Vocals
SEAN RICKMAN - Drums

VINCENT MAHEY - Recording Engineer
HERVÉ MARTIN - Recording Engineer
JOSEPH MARECANO - Mixing
NICHOLAS PROUT - Mastering
PIERRE WALFISZ - Executive Producer
GEOFFROY DE MASURE - Ass. Executive Producer
JÉRÔME WITZ - Design
GUY LE QUERREC - Photography
JEAN-CLAUDE WALFISZ - Liner Notes Translation

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2001 CD Label Bleu LBLC-6643/44 HM 63X2

Concerts recorded live at Montpellier France July 12-13 2001.



Liner notes from the booklet:

These CDs were recorded live at a club called "Le JAM" in the city of Montpellier in the south of France. The occasion was a series of intensive workshops and concerts over a period of two weeks. We call these types of setups "Grass Roots" touring and we have done this before in the United States, Cuba, Senegal, and India. However this is the first time we have done this kind of thing in Europe.The concerts recorded here were open to booth students attending the workshops and the public, the atmosphere and energy was informal and loose. This is the form in which we prefer to communicate our musical ideas and hopefully we will be able to continue in this approach in the future.

In the tradition of music to which we belong performances are not based on the playing of material fron the "latest" album. During concerts we play whatever material we feel at the moment, it does not matter which album the material is on. At every performance there will be some compositions never before performed by us (i.e. complete spontaneous), sone that are new to the audience and some older original materials that may or may not have been recorded. Only the compositions "Resistance Is Futile" and "Reflex" have never been recorded before.

There was a lot of hard work put into doing this projects. Without all of the hard work of Geoffroy DeMasure Sophia Wong, Michaela Mayer, Pierre Walfisz and all the musicians in the band these workshop, concerts and this recording would not have been possible. We hope that this music communicates to you that you enjoy it.

Steve Coleman



"Widerstand ist zwecklos" - Resistance is futile - meint Steve Coleman; eine Redewendung, die in Bezug auf die Energie seiner Musik in jedem Fall zutrifft. Auf seinem Live-Doppelalbum beim neuen Label Bleu -- nach Vertragsende mit BMG, mit denen er zehn Jahre lang zusammen gearbeitet hat - präsentiert er die Ergebnisse einer 15-tägigen Meisterklasse in Montpellier.

Die Abschlusskonzerte spielte Coleman mit dem afro-kubanischen Perkussionisten Jesus Diaz, Bassisten Anthony Tidd, Pianist Andy Milne, Drummer Sean Rickman, dem französischen Posaunisten Geoffrey de Masure und den beiden Nachwuchstrompetern Jonathan Finlayson und Ambrose Akinmusire. Musik in der kraftvollen Attitude des M-Base, mit kreisenden rhythmischen Ostinato-Strukturen, über denen die Bläser mit unablässiger Kraft improvisieren. Interessant ist, dass Coleman sich und den Zuhörern hin und wieder sogar Zeit zum Luftholen lässt: Stücke wie "Easy Living" oder "Straight Ahead" sind Balladen mit Piano und Saxofon, die zwischen dem überwiegenden Powerplay Entspannung bieten. Und während dieser kleinen Pausen kann man sich die schönen Schwarzweiß-Fotos des Fotografen Guy Le Querrec im CD-Booklet anschauen.

Anja Buchmann, Amazon.de



The high-concept recordings of saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Steve Coleman are often confrontational, always provocative, and thoroughly engaging. Still, one cannot help but feel that something gets lost in the translation process in the recording studio. This double-CD live package, recorded in France in 2001 from two concerts, showcases the Five Elements at their most ambitious, yet subtle best. Coleman's lineup features trumpeters Jonathan Finlayson and Ambrose Akinmusire, pianist Andy Milne, Anthony Tidd on bass, Jes�s Diaz on percussion, drummer Sean Rickman, and trombonist Geoffroy DeMasure. While it's true that most of these musicians are not well known, it's all for the better. Coleman's vision is pure, and the strengths of his collaborators shine through as part of the ensemble, according to plan. Set one (and disc one) is for the most part subdued and meditative, though there are moments of joyous, raucous energy that burst from the seams of the music, such as on "9 to 5," where a long, nearly classical opening is augmented by a Bulgarian dance band melodic line that gives way to a funky overdriven modal chart allowing the front-line players short solos that interchange at a rapid pace. Likewise, the cover of Mingus' "Ah-Leu-Cha" is saturated in deep, greasy blues and gutbucket funk. The way in which Coleman moves the band through the intervals in the bridge is simply stunning. Disc two, which kicks off with the title track, offers a melodic line that is Latin in root, modal in step, and Sun Ra-ish in articulation. The front line shows great discipline in playing just behind the beat with long lines; they angle around a chord figure that is continually refracted against the dissonance by Milne, until the tune breaks open into improvisation with Coleman taking the lead. Track two, the funky "Hits," feels like an Ornette tune coming out of P-Funk, until it breaks down into "Straight, No Chaser" and then "Easy Living." But that's the beginning, really, as Coleman and company tear into a tune by Jerry Goldsmith, a few originals, and one of the finest renditions of Mal Waldron's "Straight Ahead" ever played. Ending with Coleman's "Reflex," the saxophonist moves the edges to the margin and concentrates all of his organizational energies on bringing the band down into the heart of the strange and beautiful melody, accenting the polyrhythms with flurries of notes that open the doors wider and allow everybody to settle into a space that gradually pushes out into the realm of silence. This is one of those rare performances where everything works, and comes across to the listener as an actual concert experience.

Thom Jurek, All Music Guide



M-Base founder, composer, and alto saxophonist Steve Coleman hails from Chicago. His earliest years were spent playing in R&B and funk bands in emulation of his first hero, Maceo Parker. Coleman had heard all the greats in his hometown and changed his focus from R&B to jazz precipitating his move to New York. He gigged with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis big band, followed by Sam Rivers' All-Star Orchestra and, eventually, Cecil Taylor's big-band project. He began working with other leaders as well: David Murray, Abbey Lincoln, Michael Brecker. But Coleman was restless; he began listening to other music, particularly that of West Africa (he later traveled to Ghana to study). His music evolved and he continued to play side gigs, honing his sound and compositions — he has a totally original alto tone — by playing in the street. Coleman's first band, the Five Elements, would be formed of street cats, including Graham Haynes. The band came up with the M-Base concept in 1985 ("macro-basic array of spontaneous extemporization") and signed with the European JMT label. Others in the M-Base crew include Gary Thomas, Geri Allen, Greg Osby, Robin Eubanks, and Cassandra Wilson. Coleman developed complex musical theories about integrating the rhythms of funk, soul, world music, and jazz. He eventually signed with BMG and started three other bands, Mystic Rhythm Society, Metrics, and Council of Balance. He was also a member of Dave Holland's quartet for a time and has continued to play and record with his three groups as well as other artists, both M-Base and not. In addition to issuing over 20 records under his own name, he is a sought-after producer. Steve Coleman is a renaissance man for the left wing of jazz.

Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

 L y r i c s


Currently no Lyrics available!

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


Currently no Samples available!