For their first album, Triumph!, made in 1978, Steve Colson and his wife, Iqua Colson, won over a handful of illustrious musicians from the environment of AACM and Art Ensmble of Chicago: Joseph Jarman and Douglas Ewart, Dushun Mosley, Reggie Wills and Wallace McMillan. They recorded the first four tracks in April, 1978, and did two more tracks together with a slightly smaller ensemble in August, 1979. Then, they released the record at their own label Silver Spring in a private pressing and embellished it with one of the best artworks of that time. A well done job – that’s how rarities are made! Now, more than 30 years later, Triumph! is being re-released by Universal Sound – and yet again, the vinyl is limited to 1.000 records only. This way, it’s another highlight amongst the very many highlights of the sub-label of Soul Jazz Records. On his debut, Steve Colson is pulling out all the stops of his compositional skills. Not only does he refer to very different influences of Jazz, such as Horace Silver, Art Blakey and John Coltrane, but also – in utter commitment to the »New Thing!« – loses all possible blinders. He throws in classical music (the great stage on Cidigie-Dicesui, the intimate play on Temple At Dendera) integrates spiritual notions, African rhythms, blues, poetry and his wife’s voice. None of this seems artificial, it seems much more as if these things have always been thought and played together this way. A Triumph!Â, quite literally.
Joe Henderson
Power To The People
Craft