Steve Coleman - Introducing M-Base - Brooklyn In The 1980s (Jubilee Edition) '2015

Tracks list

The album »Introducing M-Base« introduces early works by important artists
associated with the movement M-Base. Two titles of this compilation –
»Irate Blues« und »On This« – come from the debut recording
»Motherland Pulse« by Steve Coleman. This album was established in 1985,
exactly 30 years ago. 

In the 1980s Stefan Winter volunteers for a record company to learn
autodidactically the profession as music producer. At the time a demo tape of
the young Steve Coleman arrives, that nobody is interested in. During his first
stay in New York City (1984) Stefan Winter jumps to the opportunity and offers
Steve Coleman a record deal. This is the hour of birth of the debut recording
with the core musicians of the later named M-Base Collective and at the same
time of the label JMT (Jazz Music Today). Right after the first record Winter
starts also working with Greg Osby, Cassandra Wilson, Robin Eubanks, Gary
Thomas, Geri Allen and many others. It is historical certainty that all these
works were recorded mainly in the 80s, but as a listener one can hardly believe
it. The works offer a new, inspiring approach to making music which seems still
innovative today. Listen to M-Base does not mean to worship tradition, but to
see the experience of these artists as a sound basis for the future. The music
of the group, which comes together in 1985 around Steve Coleman under the name
M-Base in the back then reckless Brooklyn Heights, opens an exciting chapter in
jazz. Bebop is history, the 1968 generation established, they favour New Age
jazz and renounce free jazz, shallow jazz rock fusion evaporates in the radio
channels of New York, but a creative cell is born in the houses of the young
musicians in Brooklyn, without rules, open for new rhythms, improvisation and
structures. The fascinating and thrilling early works of saxophonists Steve
Coleman, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, singer Cassandra Wilson, trombonist Robin
Eubanks, pianist Geri Allen, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, drummer Marvin Smitty Smith
and other protagonists are to be discovered on this album. 

In the 80s promising new jazz developments seem to be stagnating. When Stefan
Winter starts developing an alternative plan to found his own label JMT, in
order to record the contemporary movements of jazz, young traditionalists like
Wynton Marsalis on the one side set the tone, and on the other side musicians
like Keith Jarrett lead the free jazz into the world of beautifully-flowing
melodiousness. JMT isnt ment to be a copy of already known movement patterns,
but should present musicians, who find their own way irrespective of the
mainstreams. Stefan Winter seeks to meet the challenge to live up to the name
Jazz Music Today. He searches for the new topical streams of jazz in the middle
of the 80s. The saxophonist Steve Coleman and members of his group Five Elements
develop off the main stages a distinctive message. 

For the development of the young Afro-American music scene around M-Base the
greater awareness of the cultural African identity but also influences of the
times of bebop play an important role. The center of M-Base is based mainly in
Brooklyn and forms a musical contrast to the experimental jazz music of the New
York downtown scene, in which for example also Tim Berne is involved. The
musicians, who are part of M-Base, are all looking for their radical
individuality. They never even once made the attempt to imitate idols. Listening
to the short cuts of the early recordings of Steve Coleman, Cassandra Wilson,
Geri Allen, Robin Eubanks, Greg Osby and Gary Thomas it becomes clear that a
wide variety of musical expressions exist. New music with tricky rhythms, highly
concentrated masterly play, complex group performances and alternative
interpretations of jazz elements arises. Each musician keeps an own identity and
does not sacrifices him- or herself for the idea of a movement. In spite of this
is remarkable that M-Base does have its own sound. The joint spirit connects all
these artists of a highly, heterogeneous nature, who will develop differently in
the future. »Introducing M-Base« is an exciting sound journey into the
early works of musicians from the M-Base circle. This album inspires to continue
examining other records from this era. After World War II the modern jazz starts
as a new movement and replaces the traditional jazz. Dance music almost
disappears and jazz made purely for listening takes over. The modern jazz is
developing from bebop to Afro Cuban jazz, from hard bob, to soul, cool and west
coast jazz, from modal to free jazz. The M-Base movement, which starts 30 years
ago in the middle of the 80s, opens a new, autonomous chapter, maybe one of the
last in modern jazz. 

Geri Allen, piano
Jean-Paul Bourelly, guitar
Steve Coleman, alto saxophone
Robin Eubanks, trombone
Greg Osby, saxophones
Gary Thomas, saxophones, flute
Cassandra Wilson, vocals 

Digitally remastered 

Tracklist:
01. Cassandra Wilson - If You Only Know How
02. Steve Coleman - Irate Blues
03. Cassandra Wilson - Blue in Green
04. Gary Thomas - Chelsea Bridge
05. Jean-Paul Bourelly - Drifter
06. Geri Allen - For John Malachi
07. Steve Coleman - Im Going Home
08. Cassandra Wilson - Lies
09. Greg Osby - Mindgames
10. Strata Institute - Micro-Move
11. Steve Coleman - On This
12. Steve Coleman - Cüd Ba-Rith
13. Robin Eubanks - The Night Before
14. Cassandra Wilson - I Am Waiting
15. Cassandra Wilson - Electromagnolia

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