Search - Steve Coleman :: Motherland Pulse

Alto saxist and composer Steve Coleman made his debut in 1985 on the German-recorded Motherland Pulse. In this rereleased box package, with its 24-bit remastering, his promise and talent shine through, indicating a vision that may still be ahead of its time. Merging a crisp, tart alto-sax tone (shades of Gary Bartz) and harmonic sophistication with street-smart rhythms and compositional complexity, Coleman was revitalizing jazz for a new generation. Unlike his more celebrated peers who merely dredged up be-bop, Coleman was asserting a newer, more contemporaneous voice. Assisted by pianist Geri Allen, drummer "Smitty" Smith, and bassist Lonnie Plaxico, Coleman and fellow soloists' Graham Haynes and vocalist Cassandra Wilson play with a cool confidence and suave flair. Though future Coleman albums moved more in the hip-hop/funk direction, Motherland Pulse reveals the emergence of a decidedly jazz voice, joining old and new ideas with a hip, loose-limbed swing that sounds as fresh today as it did then. --Wally Shoup