New Release: George Coleman with Strings from George Coleman

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George Coleman with Strings from George Coleman
Label:  HighNote Records
Release Date:  August 29, 2025
Website:  http://georgecoleman.com

Saxophonist and improviser George Coleman established himself firmly in straight-ahead jazz music's annals as a member of jazz ensembles over a span of 7 decades, beginning with Max Roach in the 1950's and continuing with Miles Davis, Slide Hampton, Charles Mingus, and Betty Carter, to name a few.  Since 1973, Coleman has been focusing on leading his own band and featuring his own original works.  His 20th album George Coleman with Strings sees him accompanied by a 10-piece string arrangement under the direction of Bill Dobbins, and supported by a rhythm section consisting of John Webber on bass, Joe Farnsworth on drums, and David Hazeltine on piano.   Additionally, the project includes percussion virtuoso Café da Silva, whose Latin accents add silky undulations to several of the tunes like Henry Mancini's "Moment to Moment" and Johnny Mandel's "A Time for Love."  

Recorded in 2022 at Van Gelder’s studio, the 7 track disc mounts a melodic shine colonized by a traditional romantic flare and sentimental musings emanating from Coleman's tenor sax, buffed by caressing strings.  His fibrillating hoots on Victor Young's "Stella by Starlight" accentuate the fireside mood, coasting into his rendering of Johnny Mandel’s “A Time for Love,” drizzled in jangly chimes and Coleman's improvised scrolls on the sax.  His adaptation of Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty" opens with haunting effects streaming into a cascade of atmospheric strings pumped up by Coleman's twirling saxophone.  The full orchestra is brought out for "A Time for Love," a romantic piece that transports the listener to a serene getaway, cradled in Coleman's warm tenor.  The complete session was organized by Coleman's producer Diane Armesto and his protégé saxophonist Eric Alexander, whose mission to keep Coleman's traditional straight-ahead jazz sound and nostalgic mannerism relevant to modern times is effective and firmly accomplished.

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