In 2015 the
National Endowment for the Arts confirmed what countless listeners have known
for the last six decades by naming tenor saxophonist George Coleman an NEA Jazz
Master. A man of few words, Coleman nonetheless conveys his thoughts with
unparalleled eloquence when he speaks through his instrument, as profoundly
evidenced by the nine tracks on A Master Speaks, his long-overdue return to the
studio.
Scheduled
for release April 8 via Smoke Sessions Records, A Master Speaks is Coleman's
first release as a leader in nearly 20 years and first recording since the 2002
all-star live tribute album Four Generations of Miles. The rarity of the
session is remarkable in itself; even more special is that fact that it grew
out of a desire shared by Coleman and his son, drummer George Coleman Jr., to
finally record together.
They're
joined by a stellar band featuring pianist Mike LeDonne and bassist Bob
Cranshaw, with guitarist Peter Bernstein making a special guest appearance.
This date was produced by Paul Stache and saxophonist Eric Alexander--a
disciple of Coleman's heartfelt, muscular style--who were able to realize a
shared dream in documenting this master and his art they have loved for
decades.
"I
don't really enjoy recording all that much these days," Coleman admits,
"but I was really happy to do this one with Smoke. I'm at the end game,
you know, the twilight of my career, so maybe it was time."
At
80-years-old, Coleman sounds, as ever, both vital and timeless, suggesting that
any "end game" he finds himself in may well stretch into overtime.
He's obviously invigorated by the deep sense of swing and classic hard-bop feel
of the quartet he's assembled. With his father's tone and feel in his ears and
in his blood from birth, George Jr. can't help but provide the perfect rhythm
for Coleman's husky melodicism.
Two years
Coleman's elder, Cranshaw is no stranger to anchoring the imaginative musings
of a tenor giant, having spent nearly fifty years accompanying the great Sonny
Rollins. LeDonne, meanwhile, has forged a relationship with Coleman through the
saxophonist's frequent guest appearances with LeDonne's Groover Quartet, which
also features Alexander, Bernstein, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Coleman has
become a regular at the quartet's long running Tuesday night residency at Smoke
(as has Cranshaw), and LeDonne and Cranshaw also served as the tenorman's
backing band at the club for a special appearance last fall.
"The
spontaneity of it all is what make jazz so special," Coleman posits.
"You don't know how it's going to turn out... What I've always tried to do
is what that old cliché says: play a reasonable facsimile of what you really
want to do. If you can get through it without embarrassing yourself then you
say, 'I'll take it.' That's the way I look at it."
It's hard to
imagine the music on A Master Speaks as falling short in anyone's mind except
for Coleman's. The album begins with a warm and sinuous take on the Bronislau
Kaper standard "Invitation," a prime example of the saxophonist's
gift for melodic interpretation. It's followed by another classic, "The
Shadow of Your Smile," played with a raw tenderness and an elegant,
lilting LeDonne solo.
"Blues
For B.B." pays homage to one of Coleman's earliest mentors and employers,
blues legend B.B. King. The leader bridges the decades to his Memphis blues
roots, while Bernstein steps in with a solo that subtly evokes King's
unmistakable sound. "Blondie's Waltz" is brighter, a joyous spin
around the dance floor culminating with a spotlight turn for George Jr., while
"You'll Never Know What You Mean To Me" maintains the upbeat mood
with a sprightly stroll highlighted by Coleman's burly blowing and a
fleet-fingered LeDonne sprint.
The pianist
provides an aching intro to the classic ballad "Darn That Dream" and
duets with Coleman on a stunning rendition of "These Foolish Things,"
one of several numbers the pair played together at a reception at Smoke
following his NEA induction. A simmering groove drives "Sonny's
Playground," providing father and son a chance to trade and cedes the
stage to Cranshaw for a masterly walking solo. "Time To Get Down"
brings things to a close with a lively, vintage last-call jam session spirit.
Like the
pronouncements of a sage, A Master Speaks communicates both wisdom and wonder
that bespeaks Coleman's half century in music. From his roots in music-rich
Memphis through his work with legends ranging from B.B. King who took Coleman
to buy his first tenor to Max Roach to Slide Hampton and his renowned tenure
with the Miles Davis Quintet, Coleman established himself as one of jazz's most
soulful and expressive voices. It's there on the unforgettable melodies of
Herbie Hancock's landmark Maiden Voyage as it is 30 years later on the
soundtrack of the Denzel Washington/Whitney Houston film The Preacher's Wife.
Last year he
joined the anointed ranks of NEA Jazz Masters in a class that also included
fellow Memphian Charles Lloyd as well as pianist/composer/arranger Carla Bley
and Chicago club owner Joe Segal. It was a well-deserved honor for a jazz legend
who continues to let his music do the talking.
George Coleman · A Master Speaks
George Coleman · A Master Speaks
Smoke
Sessions Records · Release Date: April 8, 2016
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