Steve Coleman and Five Elements

Floor Three, Susan and John Hess Family Theater

Jazz composer Steve Coleman has cited Conlon Nancarrow as an important influence and one of his favorite composers. In his own singular music, Coleman has explored the complexities of rhythm and time in utterly unique ways. In most music, there is an agreed-upon groove. Other music uses syncopation to suggest other rhythms. Finally, there comes a point where the glue dissolves and the separate rhythmic entities have more and more tenuous relationships. Coleman’s dense, mysterious musical structures tip over into something else, as his rhythmic work is often both polyrhythmic (one rhythm with a number of grooves), and he is one of the very few players working with polytempo (completely different tempi). 

Steve Coleman and his ensemble Five Elements include: Steve Coleman (alto saxophone), Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Miles Okazaki (electric guitar), Anthony Tidd (bass), Marcus Gilmore (drums).

Part of Anywhere in Time: A Conlon Nancarrow Festival, co-curated by Dominic Murcott and Jay Sanders, Curator and Curator of Performance.

Tickets for this program are required, and include the cost of admission ($22 adults, $18 seniors, free for members). Due to limited capacity, visitors are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets may still be purchased online until two hours before the program begins. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.