By: Leonardo Fontane
CHICAGO– On Friday March 28th the Jazz Showcase was lit up with a blaze of music from Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few. A Chicago native, Collier, has been a shining star in carrying the legacy of jazz and Chicago’s music into the next generation.
A culmination of post Coltrane sax, AfroFuturism, and Creative Music influences straight from the AACM, Collier is carving his name into music history one performance at a time. Just this past October “The World Is On Fire” was released by Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few, a charged album full of riveting improvisation and commentary on the state of America and the injustices which have been trespassed against the black community.
With such power in his music, it is unsurprising that Collier brought such an invigorating performance to the sold-out audience at the Showcase.
Coming to the stage with sunglasses, glittering gold pendant around his neck, and silver Tenor sax, a hush fell upon the crowd as pianist Richard Gibbs III started the first tune entitled “Generalife” by saxophonist Ben Solomon. Gibbs began with a solo filled with chords, trills, and language which floated across the keys as he fluidly interacted with the rest of the rhythm section.
Within these first few minutes Collier introduces the idea of the “little instruments”. Evoking ideas pioneered in jazz by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Collier glided his hand across a set of chimes not only adding texture to the sonic atmosphere but also signaling the rhythm section and Gibbs to be ready for Collier to start playing.
Once Collier did begin blowing, each piece of the picture fell into place. Full of emotion and blazing ideas, Collier created a whirlwind of story through his horn with soaring wails of sound and hard hitting multi phonic blasts that tied together perfectly with his cascading sixteenth note lines.
After a few minutes of soloing the tune came to its absolute boiling point at which time Collier brought back the main melodic line of the tune expertly guiding the sound back down to a simmer in preparation for their next piece.
It is within this tune Collier later identified as his composition “The Almighty” off his project with the same name where Collier first takes the mic to sing. This epic of a composition started with swelling bowed bass, piano, and cymbals while Collier sang the phrase “You said freedom has a price. Is that freedom worth your life?”
Such a phrase begs a very real question to the audience present, poking at dormant ideas. As Collier’s singing built, as did the rhythm section with Collier moving to the horn not soon after.
Screaming atop the cymbals behind him Collier’s sound strikes into your bone sending shivers coursing throughout your body paired with angular lines which danced through The Showcase. It is here that Collier breaks the thermometer he set, as this part of the set plays as a near religious experience. One in which a listener is gripping the edge of their seat as they are enveloped within the sonic atmosphere “The Chosen Few” builds.
Finally, the saga ends with an abrupt pivot to large hits guided by Collier followed by a short Cadenza of more open free ideas.
To begin the succeeding tune, Collier speaks to the audience expressing how he feels that what the world needs more currently is love. Collier proceeded to jump into lyrics about love and peace as his rhythm section joined with a three-feel highlighting a danceable nature.
Within the tune Josh Ramos allotted time to be heard blowing with a beautiful bass solo in the upper register of the instrument. Gibbs then took over with a heavy chord centered solo with intriguing voicings and strongly structured phrases.
All of this leads back to Collier who punches through with vibrato and trill driven playing that cements this tunes strength in feel, constantly moving and giving way to a new layer of purpose.
Collier took upon “little instruments” of percussive practice to create a more dynamic sound once the texture thinned to just his singing and Gibbs piano.
Once the previous tune ended Collier struck up a new rhythm from a handheld drum he struck with a mallet and bells he had attached to his shoes. Without skipping a beat, drummer Jayden Richardson jumped in with his own cymbal guided groove before transferring to swing feel, after which Collier utilized more percussive mallet instruments.
The penultimate piece of music finished with Collier taking to his horn again, giving the audience every part of his playing.
To End the night Collier conducted the audience in a three-part harmony with the lyrics “Peace and Love.” A message he helped the audience feel and connect with by utilizing such an interactive idea.
Collier delivered an unforgettable performance that was a testament to his artistic craft and ingenuity. With people like Collier leading the charge in jazz music, the next generation of artists looks bright and promising.
His ability to electrify and energize an audience speaks to the caliber of player he is, and how strongly he carries the culture of the music with him. An unbelievable showing of what is to come from him now and in the future.
Make sure to keep the name Isaiah Collier on your radar from now till the end of time.
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