js Saxophonist Steve Coleman first hit the scene in the mid 80’s with his personal take on funk-jazz that he called M Base funk. Coleman’s M Base vision was modern and urban, with spiky angular rhythms that interconnected in ways that pushed the funk into avant-garde deep waters. By the time we get to 1995’s live set, “Myths Modes and Means”, Coleman’s music has expanded into an eclectic collage of sounds that owes as much to older African traditions than funk, fusion or jazz. Yet, it is this use of classical African sounds that puts “Myths, Modes and Means” on the forefront of today’s music scene, more than just jazz or fusion, this is African music for the new century.

It is a colorful ensemble that Coleman presents on here, Steve mans the sax chair while trumpeter Ralph Alessi joins, or battles him on trumpet. Two keyboardists (Andy Milne and a then new to the scene Vijay Iyer) provide piano and tasteful synthesizer, while two percussionists (Rameesh Shotham and Josh Jones) provide rhythms from India and Africa. Rapper/poet Kokayi adds occasional hyper verbal assaults that work great with the music. We’ve all heard bad attempts at mixing jazz and rap, but there is none of that nonsense on here, Kokayi’s lyrics are tough, rhythmic, real and improvised on the spot. All of this is anchored by the hard rhythm section of Reggie Washington on bass and Gene Lake on drums. The icing on the cake is the Koto playing of Miya Masaoka. A couple lengthy tunes on here open with solo Koto playing, and the Koto’s sound and scales set a mood that stretches back many centuries. The Koto is not exactly an African instrument, but it fits really well, filling in for Egyptian instruments that disappeared over the years.

The music on here is just as eclectic as the instruments that are used. There is plenty of Coleman’s hard edged abstract funk, but there also moments when Coleman produces sounds on the sax that mix with the percussionists in a way that recalls field recordings of classical African music. On “Song of the Beginnings” a string synthesizer is used to solo over African percussion, furthering the idea Afro-Futurism. You won’t find too many more albums that can logically mix somber solo Koto playing with hard-edged hip-hop. There is so much music on here, its hard to believe this is just one CD. Wth three ‘epic’ 20 minute plus African odysseys, plus four more potent shorter tracks, this album seems like a three LP gatefold set from the 70s.

snobb I have heard Steve Coleman and his Five Elements playing live just a few weeks after he recorded this new material for what later became "Synovial Joints", and to be honest I was a really critical when started listening to this, his newest release to time.

It's not like I was seriously disappointed with Coleman's gig, better to say - I was quite seriously surprised. Excellent combo played in overcrowded Drama Theater hall with coldness I can hardly remember in any jazz concert ever. Technically great musicians demonstrated quite interesting musical ideas but tried hard to isolate themselves from any public emotions, or probably - to isolate public from anything different than their calculated (and often quite repetitive) sound.

So, when Coleman's new album has been released I have been thinking more than once if I really want to hear it. Probably, the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award Steve received earlier this year pushed me to give this music a chance. It took weeks for me to accept and appreciate new album's music, but now I can say - yes, it's a good album.

What Steve did first of all recording "Synovial Joints" is the increase of the number of band members. In fact, he used his regular "Five Elements" as basis and recruited lot of new artists(many of them already played with Steve in his other projects), up to 21 in total. As a result, Coleman's biggest band ever plays his usual math / calculated compositions with richer arrangements, but what is more important - whole sound is warmer and even mellower (what sounds more than unusual speaking about Steve Coleman music).

Attentive listener will notice that there are more improvisational components, than in many of Steve previous works, and at the same time he uses unusually much classic orchestration here. Add some Latin tunes and you got the new Steve Coleman's music - warmer, more lively and much more attractive because of that.

Newbies to Coleman's music still most probably will notice how angular new album sounds, those familiar with his previous aesthetics most probably will enjoy how more humane this album sounds still being with no doubt same Steve Coleman's music.