MATANA ROBERTS — Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee (review)

MATANA ROBERTS — Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee album cover Album · 2015 · Jazz Related Improv/Composition Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
Matana Roberts is what jazz avant-garde has been once and somehow almost disappeared with time spent in escapism and narcissism. She plays with London experimental jazz artists and releases albums on Constellation label, home of post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Her coronation as underground jazz queen happened in 2011 after she released first chapter of her projected 12-part Coin Coin series with big orchestra. Coin Coin Two has been logical and different continuation with operatic vocals recorded with smaller band. Being one of the most respectable artists on modern experimental jazz scene she isn't real star at all - one must try really hard searching any information on her music, gigs or even released albums.

Just released Coin Coin Three is different bird from two previous installments again. It's Matana's first truly solo album, recorded solely by herself. And her usual saxophone is far not main instrument used here - main music is produced by collection of analogue Korgs and Robert's voice, adding nature sound recordings, sound effects and even vintage upright piano. Her free soprano soloing is presented, piercing atmosphere as needles.

Matana's singing is far not jazzy, more narrative or just spoken words,continued storytelling over quite warmly-sounding old-time physical laboratory oscillators-like produced Korg sounds. She adds some nature noises,recorded in American South and New York City and overlayed vocals. Produced using quite unorthodox techniques when every next layer is recorded live when playing over pre-recorded sound, this album is unusually warm and spontaneous for music,produced using studio equipment as one of main instruments.

As both previous album of the series,this music continues just a bit longer than forty minutes - usual vinyl album time,not twice longer modern CD-size. Last question (or probably first - depending on personal listener's taste)is if this music is still jazz. Looking from orthodox position, no way. But everyone familiar with some Sun Ra earlier experimentation with very first analogue synthesizers (recorded and released as albums)already heard such music and even more often - same question. Who really cares?
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