M-BASE COLLECTIVE — Anatomy Of A Groove (review)

M-BASE COLLECTIVE — Anatomy Of A Groove album cover Album · 1992 · Eclectic Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
M-Base, in a musical sense, was a development of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time ideas from the early 90s. Not a band per se, M-Base Collective was a loose formation of Brooklyn based artists led by alto saxophonists Steve Coleman and Greg Osby. Some other future well-known artists participated as well, partially guitarist David Gilmore and vocalist Cassandra Wilson.

Perfectly recorded (and surprisingly released in Japan only by domestic DIW label), "Anatomy of a Groove" represents M-Base music at its best. Groovy, funky, precisely played, creative but well-framed, it sounds fresh and unexpected, especially taking into account that the 90s weren't the most inspiring time for jazz. Comparing to Steve Coleman's later and better known work, the music here on "Anatomy of a Groove" is less mechanical, more playful (partially thanks to Cassandra Wilson's wordless vocalize) and in general can be even tagged as "slick" and "stylish". The interplay between musicians is just amazing.

For sure, it still is a music for an acquired taste. Similar to other genres based on rhythmic structures and repetitive construction (as in funk or funk jazz), for some it can sound pointless or undirected. For genre fans, it's a true gem though.
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