Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Steve Coleman: The Sonic Language of Myth

270

Steve Coleman: The Sonic Language of Myth

By

View read count
Steve Coleman: The Sonic Language of Myth
A lot of sound and fury here. Signifying what? Well, according to RCA Victor’s publicity department, The Sonic Language of Myth is “a philosophical journey in sound. Incorporating ancient philosophical, astrological and musical precepts into his compositional foundation, Steve Coleman presents his way of hearing and experiencing music.” And since these precepts are so ancient, who’s going to argue with him? Not I. I’m far more interested in the music itself. Is it Jazz? More or less. Does it swing? Sometimes. At the very least, one has to give Coleman credit for doing it his way, whether or not he agrees with what the alto saxophonist and his colleagues (including a multitude of guest artists) have accomplished. Me? I’m largely mystified, but that’s my fault, not Coleman’s. As he says, “The way a music sounds depends not only on what the musician is expressing but also on what the listener is hearing.” And therein, as Shakespeare might say, lies the rub. I hear what Coleman and company are doing; I am simply unable to understand (or appreciate) it. Coleman goes on to say that while he realizes that “for most people music is entertainment,” to him “music also tells a story. Those who are ready (why is he looking at me?) will hear the story; however, I believe that for music that is based on the principles of creation (presumably his music, and how’s that for pre–empting censure?), even those who listen for entertainment still subconsciously receive mind–expanding vibrations.“ Which is how I must be receiving mine from Coleman’s album, as consciously, at least, there’s no emotional or spiritual bond in sight. Again, Coleman has the answer: “Each selection contains an outer meaning and an inner (immanent) meaning.” I think it’s the inner meaning that may be causing the problem, although I’ve not gleaned a whole lot of pleasure or insight from the outer meaning either. But other, more enlightened souls may acquire plenty, and one must admit that Coleman is an impressive saxophonist, no matter how impenetrable his music may be.

Track listing: Precession; Maat; The Twelve Powers; The Gate; Seth; Ausar (Reincarnation); Heru (Redemption) (68:14).

Track Listing

Precession; Maat; The Twelve Powers; The Gate; Seth; Ausar (Reincarnation) Listen; Heru (Redemption).

Personnel

Steve Coleman
saxophone, alto

Tim Albright: trombone; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Erik Charlston: vocals; Steve Coleman: alto sax; Ravi Coltrane: tenor sax; Miguel Diaz: percussion; Shane Endsley: trumpet; Dave Gold: viola; Craig Handy: tenor sax; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Dorothy Lawson: cello; Vijay Lyer: piano; Karen McVoy: vocals; Robert Mitchell: piano; Jason Moran: piano; Eugene Palmore: vocals; Sara Parkins: violin; Todd Reynolds: violin; Sean Rickman: drums; Jeanne Ricks: vocals; Mary Rowell: violin; Rosangela Silvestre: vocals; Anthony Tidd: electric bass; Reggie Washington: acoustic bass.

Album information

Title: The Sonic Language of Myth | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: RCA Victor

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

Eternal Moments
Yoko Yates
From "The Hellhole"
Marshall Crenshaw
Tramonto
John Taylor

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.