Label: Constellation Records, 2023
Personnel - Matana Roberts: horns, percussion, harmonicas, wordspeak, composition; Darius Jones: alto saxophone, voice; Matt Lavelle: alto clarinet, pocket trumpet; Stuart Bogie: bass clarinet, clarinet, vocal; Mazz Swift: violin, vocal; Cory Smythe: piano, vocal; Kyp Malone: synths; Mike Pride: drums, percussion; Ryan Sawyer: drums, percussion; jaimie branch (courage 1983-2022).
The fifth installment of the Coin Coin project by Chicago-born saxophonist, composer, artist and activist Matana Roberts has arrived, offering a poetic declaration of freedom in them unique, signature style. This time, the theme of abortion weaves through the tracks with open-ended musicality and forward-thinking beliefs. The recording resounds with a powerful slogan that repeats throughout, brimming with newfound urgency: "my name is your name; our name is their name; we are named; we remember, they forgot”.
Surrounded by a new cast of like-minded musicians, Roberts employs an intelligent combination of sounds and words to tell the story of a woman in her ancestral line who tragically passed away due to complications from an illegal abortion. Civil rights are addressed in a record dedicated to the influential late cultural critic Greg Tate.
The album comes out of the gate with “We Said”, featuring shamanic metallic percussion combined with layers of elongated saxophone that contribute to a dense drone. The marching drums carries clarion tin whistles in a folkloric liberation reminiscent of The Art Ensemble of Chicago. The music complements the words, particularly on “Unbeknownst”, which feels like a work song with violin and clarinet playing cyclic figures over a taut rhythm.
Two standout pieces, “Predestined Confessions” and “Shake My Bones”, showcase exhilarating saxophone exchanges between Roberts on tenor and Darius Jones on alto. The former piece is a modal weep turned cacophonous spectacle with multiphonics at some point, while the latter is fleshed out with motivic insights, transitioning through a swing feel forged with with a three-time pulse before concluding in a celebratory and revolutionary turbulence.
Sometimes cathartic, sometimes quiet, the music is always confrontational, refusing concessions to ensure the message resonates widely and deeply. Observe how the instruments freely cut through the rhythms on “Different Rings”, creating a a dramatic clamor. Feel the relentless rock-tinged pulse driving “How Prophetic”, accompanied by elated riffs, or how the harmonious vocal alignment on “But I Never Heard a Sound So Loud”, a traditional African-American lullaby. Darker, distorted soundscapes are found on “No Way Chastened” as a result of Mazz Swift’s smoggy violin and Cory Smythe’s deep harmonic clouds.
Regardless on how different these pieces may sound, they undeniably bear Roberts' creative signature. Them invocations can be mystic, experimental, modern free jazz blasts, or simple structures with cyclic synth sequences, but they always seek truth and justice. It’s a significant artistic endeavor.
Favorite Tracks:
03 - Unbeknownst ► 04 - Predestined Confessions ► 12 - Shake My Bones