Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Scott Colley: Initial Wisdom

Scott Colley: Initial Wisdom

By Jim Santella
July 1, 2002
View read count

At 38, Scott Colley is poised to find new directions in jazz. Hip-hop rhythms and New Orleans shuffles coexist side by side on this quartet album of originals and extras. Graceful melodic lines and seamless phrasing tie the pieces together. Each of the four artists stretches out with a loose framework that links up automatically with that of the others. Drummer Bill Stewart drives the quartet with force, while guitarist Adam Rogers fills in an encompassing harmonic aura. Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and bassist Colley fuse their melodic lines gracefully. Some overdubbing allows the session to grow even larger. Harmony and melody wander through changing landscapes that originate amid jazz's traditional roots and drive beyond the norm to more contemporary moods. One selection, "Trip," places the quartet in a group improvisation setting, where each artist works independently. Unlike most group meetings, this one piece finds each doing his own thing. The result is a combination of mood music for four. Elsewhere, ensemble and solo work reveals a deep respect for melody and conservative interplay.

Track Listing

The Susser Scorpios Far Rockaway Alpha Trip Trouble In Paradise Barracudas Eccentric Circles Rubber Clock

Personnel

Scott Colley

bass

Ravi Coltrane: tenor & soprano sax - Adam Rogers: guitars - Scott Colley: acoustic bass - Bill Stewart: drums

Album information

Title: Initial Wisdom | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Palmetto Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

BigBandJazz.Net
< Previous

Can I Persuade You?
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.