#Isaiah Collier

[burlveneer-music]

Isaiah Collier - Parallel Universe - a hot direct-to-disc session for Night Dreamer, featuring Jimetta Rose on vocals

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Isaiah Collier connects with the divine ancestors on a transcendent Direct-To-Disc session, Parallel Universe. Chicago-based innovator and educator Isaiah Collier is opening up new dimensions in the jazzwise continuum. A saxophonist by trade whose multi-instrumental talents and compositional prowess have stretched the limits of the form, Parallel Universe represents a new chapter in Collier’s musical journey. Having already performed with a diverse range of musicians such as Chance The Rapper, Waddada Leo Smith, Chicago jazz royalty Angel Bat Dawid and his own band The Chosen Few, Collier’s latest work as a bandleader explores the shared musical heritage of the African diaspora with a sense of grace and assurance that belies his years. Embracing the risk and vulnerability that comes with the live process, Collier and his band tapped into the frequencies of improvisation that fired up so many of the most timeless jazz recordings. “Recording direct-to-disc gave me a really fortunate opportunity to experience what our musical predecessors almost a hundred years ago were dealing with,” he explains. Name-checking Sun Ra, Ras G, J Dilla, Fela Kuti, Miles Davis, Gil Scott-Heron, Whitney Huston, Aaliyah and Frankie Knuckles, the opening of track of Parallel Universe imagines a genreless musical lineage that resonates with the polyphony of stories his band bring to the table, from Chicago and beyond. Featuring gospel soul singer Jimetta Rose, AACM and former Art Ensemble of Chicago trumpet player Corey Wilkes, blues-rooted guitarist Michael Damani, regular collaborators Julian Davis Reid, James Russell Sims and Micah Collier, the 8-track album bristles with a sense of love and understanding between players at the top of their game. “Give me that feeling that makes me feel like I’m alive,” Collier enthuses. “People can tell when you’re taking chances. I know that’s what everybody is looking for.”  Saxophone, Flute, Vocals, Keys - Isaiah Collier Vocals - Jimetta Rose Keys - Julian Reid Bass - Micah Collier Trumpet -Corey Wilkes Drums - James Russell Sims Guitar - Michael Damani Kalimba - Ra Additional Vocals - Sonny Daze Recorded, mixed and mastered by Martijn Schouten Cut by Patrick De Looper at Artone Studio Produced by Sonny Daze Recorded at Artone Studio on Thursday 9th & Friday 10th March 2023

[dustedmagazine]

I AM — Beyond (Division 81)

Photo by Tiffany Smith

Beyond by I AM

Interstellar Space, John Coltrane’s duet album with Rashied Ali, seems the clearest inspiration for Chicago saxophonist Isaiah Collier and drummer Michael Shekwoaga Ode. Collier says he came to Coltrane via Pharoah Sanders, and you can hear the influence of both in his tone and style. At age 23, Collier plays with a voice that feels fully formed. He is as comfortable with long lyrical phrases as the growl and shriek of the outer edges. In Ode, he has a partner who rivals Ali in both power and invention, who understands that rhythm is basic but never steady. He ranges across his kit with a lurching, stop start energy. Massive swathes of snare and cymbals here, thumping toms and kick drum here, breaking against the cliffs of traditional structure with cyclonic intensity.

Ode’s playing on “The Vessel Speaks,” for instance, is a heady concoction of battering rhythm and musicality. He matches Collier as he moves through the registers mixing glissando and overblowing with motifs that evoke New Orleans street parades and New York lofts.

On the preacher thump and yowl of “Omniscient (Mycelium),” Collier punctuates his flow with low growls of affirmation and exhortation. He pushes himself and his instrument ever further, the notes and overtones surging out as Ode crashes around his kit beneath a constant static of cymbals. On “Hymn: Love Beyond Compare,” the duo show their lyrical side. Collier breathes a prayer through his saxophone; a distant thunder rumbles as the shackles fall and the prayer ascends with a tonal clarity of tone not heard in the foregoing maelstrom. As a distillation of A Love Supreme, it would be fine, but there is a candor to the faith expressed that elevates this beyond homage. 

In loosening the bounds of traditional harmonic structure, free jazz players sought transcendence, a connection to the divinity of an authentic self. Collier and Ode understand the form’s power stems from roots in the historic vernacular of field hollers, church call and response, blues narratives, and the dissonance of urbanization which flow through Black American music. So yes, Sanders, Shepp, Ayler and Coltrane inspire them, as do Graves, Murray, Elvin Jones and Ali but Beyond is the expression of Collier and Ode rather than exegesis or excavation. 

Andrew Forell

[aquariumdrunkard]

Isaiah Collier & Michael Shekwoaga Ode (I AM) :: Beyond

The Art Ensemble of Chicago’s expression, “Great Black Music: Ancient to the future,” is a program for life and not a mere slogan. It reminds us that we cannot move forward without reference to the past; that we must respect and respond to our elders. On their duo album Beyond, released under the moniker I AM, saxophonist Isaiah Collier and drummer Michael Shekwoaga Ode invoke two of the heaviest albums in the Free Jazz canon: Interstellar Space, by John Coltrane and Rashied Ali, and Duo Exchange, by Rashied Ali and Frank Lowe.

While it echoes the past, Beyond is not an imitation or an attempt to recreate history. It is an album bursting with spiritual energy that will give joy and inspiration to both old heads and new Free Jazz acolytes alike.

[bizarrobrain]

"Retreat" by Isaiah Collier - From "Parallel Universe" (2023)

[manic-exposure]

Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few at Tampere Jazz Happening 2022.

[chisomamadi]

How To Be Successful in Pro Sports

What are sports? You use physical skill or exhaustion from playing in team competitions to win the ultimate prize or for fun. Most people, but even more, play it, and they want to make it into the professional leagues and live out their dreams. Everyone wants to be successful in the sport they play. But what will they do to have success? To succeed, they need to take some of these steps first.

Finding a Sport to Play

Everyone knows you can’t succeed in sports without picking a sport to play. There are a lot of sports to play in the world, but we will focus on these three sports: basketball, American football, and soccer (football). Basketball is played by 465 million people worldwide, 250 million people play soccer, and 70 million people play American football. American football occurs in the U.S., while basketball and soccer occur worldwide.

The Work Ethic

Each sport has its own different workouts and work ethics. For basketball, you have to be consistently in the gym, gain muscle but less power, and work on your arms and jump shots every day. For soccer, they have to make sure their legs are ready to kick and run with, and they need to work on their skills and have good body conditioning. And, for American football, you have to get in the gym, warm and cool your legs down, make sure your arms are ready to block and catch, and make sure your wrist is ready when you throw the ball. Those are the most common work ethics in each sport said to pro athletes from each sport.

Media Coverage

You can make it in sports without getting any recognition. But, usually, the ones that make the most money and have the most fans had fame before college, during college, or in pro sports. For example, Victor Wembanyama, the #1 overall draft pick in this year’s NBA draft, is hyped up to be the most fantastic NBA prospect in any class and any sport ever. Bryce Young was the most famous football college quarterback and won the Heisman trophy this year, and he went #1. Kylian Mbappe (already a pro) is only 24 years old and paid around 700 million to 1 billion dollars to play for a Saudi Arabian team. So, the more media coverage you get at a young age, the more offers and opportunities you will have to be successful in the sport you’re playing.

Good School, Good Club

Every good athlete would be ranked, and if they are the #1 in their country for the sport they are playing, they will get offers to go to whatever school or soccer club they want to. For example, Isaiah Collier (ranked #1 in the country for basketball) went to USC with other options like Duke, UCLA, Syracuse, Memphis, and many others great choices. Another prime example would be Reggie Bush, who also went to USC over a decade and a half ago. He was the most dominant player in college but was even more prevalent in high school, so he went to USC. Lamine Yamal is 16 years old and has already joined FC Barcelona, making him the youngest player to ever play for a professional club. It would help if you had a good school or club to propel yourself into pro sports.

The Transition To Pro Sports

After you find a sport, a fantastic exemplary routine, an incredible work ethic, some media press or coverage on you, and a D1 school or a soccer club, you should be officially ready to transition to pro sports. Once you join your club, you have already started your soccer career. But basketball and American football are entirely different. For basketball, after college, you could either go overseas, coach, or join a league unknown), enter the G-League or the ultimate goal, declare for the NBA draft, and hope you get drafted into the NBA. For American football, after college, you should either join the XFL or declare and hope you get into the NFL. Those are the transitions you need to make to succeed in pro sports. 

[reformationcartoons]

The Wicked Sodomite Theology of Paradox & What to Do With It

by Monty L. Collier

The importance of logical deduction from Scripture alone in the formulation of Christian doctrine—especially the doctrine of justification by faith alone—cannot be emphasized enough. The Bible is logically consistent, so it can be rightly divided. The Bible is infallible and inerrant, so it has no mistakes, nor can it make a mistake. The Bible alone is the special revelation of God, who cannot lie, so there are no contradictions in Scripture.

While absurdity, irrationalism, and mysticism have always found a home in Roman Catholicism, they also flourish in Neo-orthodox theology, dialectical theology, and the theology of paradox. Even so, and by logical contrast—such insanity and confusion are entirely absent from theology based on Scripture alone (a.k.a. Calvinism).

There is simply no place for irreconcilable paradoxes, antinomies, apparent contradictions that cannot be harmonized, unsolvable mysteries, nor logical paradoxes in Christian theology—for the Bible does not teach such nonsense.

Presbyterians should not tolerate men who peddle such satanic irrationalism. When churches teach absurdity and confusion, should we be surprised when society calls good evil or vice versa?

It is not a surprise that many Americans are confused about their gender and their sexual orientation, for men like Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, Douglas Wilson, R. Scott Clark, John MacArthur, James White, and others have been teaching ministers that the Bible is replete with irreconcilable paradoxes for decades.

According to the absurd and satanic teachings of men like Van Til—since all the teachings of the Bible are irreconcilably paradoxical—when the Bible teaches that boys are male, then it also necessarily implies that boys are NOT male. Simply put, Van Til’s theology results in gender confusion, as well as the moral affirmation of every behavior condemned by God’s Law—and the moral negation of every work required by God’s Law!

To persuade chumps to accept their idiotic teachings, men like Van Til had to disparage logical deduction and advocate for non-linear reasoning. The wicked theologians of paradox had to convince their followers that the Bible was wrong when it describes God as being reasonable: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord” Isaiah 1:18. The satanic imposters had to convince men that the Bible is wrong when it describes Christians as men who reason in a linear fashion—using logical deduction—from Scriptute alone to establish clear and authoritative teaching: “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures” Acts 17:2.

The blasphemous wolves that disseminate the lie that biblical teaching is irreconcilably paradoxical should be removed from any and every Presbyterian teaching position they may hold.

In the old days, Presbyterians refused to tolerate absurdity, irrationalism, and confusion thinly disguised as Reformed doctrine. This can be seen in the subsequent quote on Sola Fide by Scottish Presbyterian James Buchanan (1804-1870):

“The reasoning of the Apostles with the Jews on the subject of justification relates chiefly to the doctrine which was revealed in the Old Testament; and, apart from its inspired authority, or considered simply as a process of logical deduction from the facts which are there recorded, it is one of the finest specimens of close, consecutive, conclusive reasoning to be found in the whole range of human authorship.”

(The Doctrine of Justification, Lecture 2, page 51)

Actual Calvinists, for example, do not accept the heretical notions of those who follow Norman Shepherd (a Van Tilian). Shepherd spent his career arguing that Romans 3:28 could not be logically reconciled to James 2:24. Shepherd was rightfully fired from his seminary job for espousing that Papist heresy. It’s too bad his defenders escaped termination and excommunication (Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, John Frame, and a host of other professors at Westminster Seminary, Pennsylvania publicly defended and endorsed Shepherd’s justification-by-faith-and-works heresy).

We have pointed out for years that the dialectical theology of men like Cornelius Van Til and Herman Bavinck necessarily leads to agnosticism, utter skepticism—or to speak plainly—satanism (i.e., do whatever you want). If Presbyterian churches are to ever be reformed, then the sodomite theology of paradox running rampant in our land has to be thrown out, along with the bums that teach it.

[fearnoarts]

Isaiah Collier Photo by Eva Kapanadze

[nbacolletion]

Sixers draft profile: Isaiah Collier is a sturdy, gifted lead guard prospect

USC freshman Isaiah Collier is an exceptionally strong point guard prospect.

[burlveneer-music]

I AM - Beyond - spiritual jazz explorations and explosions from sax/drums duo

I AM is the combination of Isaiah Collier on Woodwinds and Michael Shekwoaga Ode on Drums. This album was recorded on June 23rd, 2021 at Chicago Recording Company. This recording was inspired partly by a solo exchange between the duo during the 5th movement on the acclaimed Cosmic Transitions, entitled "Mercury's Retrograde". The one goal for the album was to go "Beyond". The Album features an introduction by Sound Healer Therapist and Poet Jimmy Chan. This guest was a surprise delivered to the Musicians upon their arrival by producer Sonny Daze. "We did soundcheck as the rain began to pour down. Jimmy set up his gong and singing bowls and once we were ready to record, I opened the door to his space and said we are probably going to name this record "Beyond" and then closed the door" Sonny explained. Beyond finds both Isaiah and Michael searching deep within their individual Spiritual consciousness to communicate the understanding that there is something "Beyond" the limitations of the physical world and the understandings of everyday life. The one focus of this album is to take the listener on a journey that is rare, uncompromising to any understanding other than the desire to tap into the higher forces in the universe and deliver that message to the World. Isaiah Collier: Saxophones, World Instruments Michael Shekwoaga Ode: Drums Jimmy Chan: Gong, Singing Bowls, World Instruments, Vocals

[dustedmagazine]

Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble — Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit (Spiritmuse)

Photo by Christopher Andrew

Celebrating 50 years of his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble bandleader, activist, educator and percussionist Kahil El’Zabar delves deeply into the music he has helped shape over his long career. Open Me is neither a valedictory nostalgia trip nor a lap of honor. Spanning spiritual and avant-garde jazz, African rhythms, soul blues and protest music, El’Zabar and his cohorts, trumpeter Corey Wilkes and baritone saxophonist Alex Harding, are joined by guests Ishmael Ali on cello and violinist James Sanders in collection of original tunes and finely wrought covers that look forward while linking the threads of El’Zabar’s musical legacy.

The quintet finds a devotional center to Miles Davis’ “All Blues”. El’Zabar plays on kalimba and bells, his hums and ululations a prayerful focus. The band play at a meditative pace with Wilkes pushing his tone through Davis’ modal calm into higher registers that evoke Don Cherry whilst Harding provides soulful counterpoint and a solo that carries the barest trace of Coltrane. Sanders’ short solo scratches then soars as if freeing itself from earthly concerns. “The Whole World in His Hands” feels reclaimed as El’Zabar lays down a rolling African beat and his vocal emphasizes the gospel blues root of the song. Behind, the horns and strings provide an intense group sound, with a call and response of short solos that mirror both church service and jam session. Their version of Eugene McDaniel’s “Compared To What” finds El’Zabar’s graveled vocal backed by Harding’s nimble baritone riff, a glorious clarion call from Wilkes and atmospheric flourishes from the strings. The spirit is to the fore, but this band also swings hard. “Hang Tuff” and McCoy Tyner’s “Passion Dance” are exuberant celebrations. The former graced by a dervish of a solo from Sanders and the latter played with all the power of a big band, the horns blasting the theme, El’Zabar all over his kit, the solos uniformly fiery.  

From Lester Bowie, Anthony Braxton and Pharoah Sanders to David Murray to Tomeka Reid and Isaiah Collier, El’Zabar’s career spans generations of forward-thinking musicians. The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is the longest running of his many musical projects and on Open Me, they produce a stirring mix of spirituality, groove and fire music. This is history very much alive and kicking.

Andrew Forell

[noloveforned]

no love for ned hits the wlur airwaves at 8pm sharp tonight for a new show that includes several tracks acquired today during bandcamp friday.

we kicked off a new theme in last week's show (stream it on mixcloud). for the next several months we're going to start the show off with tracks that feature jim white of the dirty three on drums. he's been playing in bands for more than forty years and he's been featured on four new releases already this year which suggests the theme might take us all the way until september!

no love for ned on wlur – april 26th, 2024 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label venom p. stinger // precious little time // meet my friend venom // no masters voice helta skelta // i am shiva, god of death // helta skelta // bad habit writhing squares // eternity // mythology // trouble in mind lupo cittá // machine operator // lupo cittá // 12xu wounded lion // hungry? // wounded lion // in the red cloud nothings // i'd get along // final summer // pure noise superchunk // as in a blender // everybody dies 7" // merge itchy and the nits // square // the worst of itchy and the nits // total punk petticoats // paranoia // scaling triangles compilation // zaius tapes hooper crescent // staring at the post // essential tremors // spoilsport close lobsters // what is there to smile about // john peel session on january 4th, 1988 ep // precious the jesus and mary chain // second of june // glasgow eyes // fuzz club the veldt featuring elizabeth fraser // aurora borealis // illuminated 1989 // little cloud the wake // host // something outside 12" // factory ruth garbus // healthy gamer // alive people // orindal nicholas krgovich, joseph shabason and matthew sage // bruce // shabason, krgovich, sage // idée fixe isaiah collier and the chosen few // perspective (peace and love) // the almighty // division 81 meshell ndegeocello featuring immanuel wilkins, deantoni parks and justin hicks // solipsistic panacea (black antiques) // red hot and ra- the magic city // red hot organization al tanner quintet featuring william 'smiley' winters // the magi // happiness is... takin' care of natural business... dig? // jazzman ka // if not true // languish arts // iron works domo genesis and evidence featuring navy blue // skeletons // intros, outros and interludes // bigger picture kofi flexxx featuring anthony joseph // by now (accused of magic) // flowers in the dark // native rebel nicholas craven featuring pink siifu // serotonin // craven n three // goodfelons liv.e // ghost // girl in the half pearl // in real life seablite // faded (glok remix) // faded (glok remix) digital single // mt. st. mtn. the legends featuring julia lannerheim // secret shine // secret shine digital single // (self-released) belle and sebastian // what happened to you, son? // what happened to you, son? digital single // matador yea-ming and the rumours // ruby // i can't have it all // dandy boy near wild honey // stars are never wrong // stars are never wrong digital single // bad frankie the wendy darlings // ridicule // lipstick fire // lunadélia

[a-mind-is-a-terriblething2waste]

Baltimore Ravens undrafted signings - 2024

Kentucky WR Tayvion Robinson

Rutgers WR Isaiah Washington

Maryland OL Corey Bullock

Maryland S Beau Brade

Tulsa OL Darrell Simpson

Kansas State LS Randen Plattner

Oregon State TE Riley Sharp

Morgan State S Jordan Toles

Temple LB Yvandy Rigby

Lock Haven RB Chris Collier

Duke DL Ja'Mion Franklin

Ole Miss WR Dayton Wade

North Carolina Central WR DeAngelo Hardy

Alabama OL Darrian Dalcourt

Rutgers LB Deion Jennings

Oregon State LB John McCartan

Georgia DL Tramel Walthour

Iowa DE Joe Evans