RE: Steve Coleman & hip hop

Mark Allerton
Wed, 8 Apr 1998 09:23:00 -0700


Steve Coleman's stuff with Five Elements really presses my buttons too,
and I'd agree that the rap projects have not been of the same standard -
but one thing that's worth remembering about Coleman's collaborations
with rappers is that they are _entirely_ freestyle. If you can find it,
his first rap effort - the "A Tale Of 3 Cities" EP - is worth a look.
There's two tracks off of that I really like, including one featuring
the wonderful Najma Akhtar on vocals. Unlike "The Way Of The Cipher", "3
Cities" is a studio LP.

I recently picked up Coleman's new double LP "Genesis" (with The Council
Of Balance)/"Opening Of The Way" (with Five Elements.) If you like any
previous Five Elements stuff, then you shouldn't have any problems with
the second disk. I know I don't. The first disk is a larger band based
around the core of Five Elements and is, well... noisier... and I
haven't really had time to give it a serious listen yet.

Personally my favourite Steve Coleman LP is still "Rhythm People" - but
I've got every Five Elements recording and the only one I'd say wasn't
worth bothering with is the second one "World Expansion". The rest range
from "great" to "absolutely bloody amazing".

-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Pennacchio [mailto:stimpson@total.net]
Sent: Monday, April 06, 1998 4:14 AM
To: Jeroen van der Ent; acid-jazz@ucsd.edu
Subject: Re: Steve Coleman & hip hop

Hi Jeroen! I know what u mean about the rapping in Steve Coleman's
outfit
being sub-par. I think the record that u didn't like is called "Way of
The
Cipher" (don't quote me, I don't own it anymore), and it didn't turn my
crank either.

Steve Coleman's a little tricky to buy cos he has several different
projects which delve into several different musical styles. The records
that I found to be funkiest were under the moniker of Steve Coleman and
the
Five Elements. My favorite record by them is called "Def Trance Beat
(Modalities of Rhythym), but there's another live one recorded at the
Hot
Brass in Paris, called "Curves of Life", which really smokes. I own
other
Steve Coleman which I found to be inferior to the ones I just listed,
but if
u want more info on them, just let me know and I'll be glad to oblige
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeroen van der Ent <vdent@tref.nl>
To: acid-jazz@ucsd.edu <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
Date: Sunday, April 05, 1998 2:39 PM
Subject: Steve Coleman & hip hop

>> If u like the jazz-rap mix, another awesome artist to check out is
>Steve
>>Coleman. Again, you must like jazz to appreciate this,
>
>
>I have some older material by him and saw him perform once at the North Sea
>Jazz festival which was very impressive. Some years ago I bought an album
on
>which he cooperated with some rappers, cointaining one song with a rapper
of
>the Roots but I was highly dissapointed by the album. Even the song with
the
>guy from the Roots wasn't any good. A bummer because I was having great
>expectations.
>
>Does the album you're referring to have a purple/blueish cover with a house
>on it? (I don't recall the title) Anyway if it is another album I'd be
>interested. Could you provide me with the title? His life performance is
>brilliant...I'm going to check out that Avery album, thanks for the info.
>
>I just got back from a show with my band. The second song we played was a
>dissaster. The guy who was supposed to play the intro played the intro of
>another song and half of the section started to do that other song while
the
>rest of the band played the song we were supposed to play :) Now with 30
>people in a band that sounds awful! Aah the blessings of playing in an
>amateur band....but it was fun though
>
>cheers,
>jEroEn
>
>