#Michael Shekwoaga Ode

[negrolicity]

Theo Croker: Tiny Desk Concert : NPR

[burlveneer-music]

Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few - The Almighty - spiritual jazz with FIRE

Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few return with a new musical journey, "The Almighty". The first quartet offering since 2021's Cosmic Transition. Isaiah Collier Sax, Vocals, Auxiliary Percussion Michael Shekwoaga Ode Drums Julian Davis Reid Piano Jeremiah Hunt Bass The Celestials (track 5): Strings Zara Zaharieva-Violin Edith Yokey-Violin Michelle Manson-Viola Horns Mayshell Morris-Flute Fred Jackson-Alto Saxophone Corey Wilkes-Trumpet Ryan Nyther-Trumpet Matthew Davis-Trombone Justin Dillard- Piano Micah Collier- Bass Vincent Davis- Drums

[floodbeast]

Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few, feat. Michael Shekwoaga Ode and bassist William Parker, at Blank Forms in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

[noloveforned]

i'll be on wlur with the new show and a new theme at 8pm tonight followed by an encore presentation of last week's show thanks to the magic of automation.

all summer long we've started the show off with groups that feature siblings, hearing songs from thin lips, the carpenters, pip blom, the breeders, herman düne, the fiery furnances, versus, devo, the jesus and mary chain, parquet courts, that dog, the kinks, haim, the beach boys, lawrence, pernice brothers, shoes, the b-52's, sparks, the pointer sisters, and plumtree.

no love for ned on wlur – september 30th, 2022 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label plumtree // was that all? // this day won't last at all // endearing order of the toad // golden rod // spirit man // gringo jim nothing // yellow house // in the marigolds // meritorio hazy sour cherry // ordinary girl // strange world // damnably sixpeace // see before you go // try to understand this ep // (self-released) the cakekitchen // tell me why you lie // stompin thru the boneyard (remastered) // ally the styrenes // inside of here // essential styrenes volume one, 1975-1979 // mustard judy and the jerks // buford // music to go nuts // thrilling living sick thoughts // i hate you // heaven is no fun // total punk loobs // i'm not a communist // word to the wise // poison city heir traffic // smoke taint // no hearth // marthouse sour widows // look the other way // crossing over ep // exploding in sound herman düne featuring jolie holland // why would that hurt? (if you never loved me) // the portable herman düne, volume one // bb island iron and wine featuring sima cunningham and macie stewart // like patsy would // lori ep // black cricket lean year // nitetime // sides // western vinyl fuubutsushi // loop trail // birthingbodies ep // cached media nicole mitchell and fabio paolizzo // replicas // medusae // don Giovanni isaiah collier and michael shekwoaga ode // confessions of the heart // i am beyond // division 81 mai sugimoto // missing drummer // monologue // asian improv horace tapscott // world peace // the quintet // mr. bongo rotary connection // if i sing my song // hey, love // cadet yazmin lacey // pieces // pieces digital single // believe maze featuring frankie beverly // joy and pain // joy and pain // capitol butcher brown // 777 // triple trey // concord jazz hollie cook // move my way // happy hour // merge kcidy // je vis mes rêves en vrai // les gens heureux // vietnam hydroplane // song for the meek // hydroplane // efficient space eerie wanda // birds aren't real // internal radio // joyful noise northern portrait // at attention // the swiss army // matinée count florida // justene // choose your own... // (self-released)

[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.

[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

[burlveneer-music]

Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few - Cosmic Transitions - sax-led quartet, a 5-part suite recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio (Division 81 Records)

Musical journeys represent a sense of duality, with the music defining a moment in time and also music being influenced by moments in time. Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few fully explore moments of the past, present, and yes the future.

Cosmic Transitions, is a Five-part suite, that addresses interpersonal relationships during a Retrograde period. The recording of this project took place on September 23rd, 2020 at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary studio where greats like John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, and many other great musicians expressed what they felt in those moments. Isaiah Collier a brilliant talent from Chicago leads the way on Soprano and Tenor Saxophone, with the support of the other members Jeremiah Hunt, Michael Shewoaga Ode, and Mike King. A release filled with a wide range of human emotions and musical possibility. Cosmic Transitions was crafted with the full intention to awaken those who hear it. Each part of the Suite weaves into the next. Not for the faint of heart, the album sets out to be a timestamp for before and after. Enjoy the journey.

Composed, Written, and Arranged by Isaiah Collier Soprano and Tenor Sax: Isaiah Collier Drums: Michael Shekwoaga Ode Upright Bass: Jeremiah Hunt Piano: Mike King

[noloveforned]

the new show airs, per usual, on wlur at 8pm tonight but there's a special encore presentation of last week's show beforehand at 6pm. that's four full hours of no love for ned tonight, starting with the show below!

no love for ned on wlur – june 17th, 2022 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label versus // underground // two cents plus tax // caroline cola // water table // deep in view // fire talk dummy // mono retriever // mono retriever 7" // sub pop oruã // prece alafim // tudo posso 7" ep // transfusão noise lassie // hurricane // behold // phantom onyon // klick // onyon cassette // trouble in mind satanic togas // strange attraction // split 7" w/ the zoids // goodbye boozy the hazmats // today // empty rooms 7" // static shock martha // please don't take me back // please don't take me back 7" // specialist subject dehd // clear // blue skies // fat possum scott and charlene's wedding // that ain't you no more // back on the tools cassette // fire yea-ming and the rumours // oh sweet mother // so, bird... // dandy boy erie choir // someone who cares // bad tsars was a drag // potluck foundation erisy watt // leave the light // eyes like the ocean // american standard time owen fitzgerald // touching the oven at work // a deep clean you can count on! // sleepy cat ashley paul // cage // i am fog cassette // orange milk julia reidy // world in world // world in world // black truffle zoh amba featuring william parker and francisco mela // o life, o light // o life, o light volume one // 577 isaiah collier and michael shekwoaga ode // bend of the universe: trust with all your heart // i am beyond // division 81 ornette coleman quartet // sound manual // in all languages // harmolodic eabs // lucifer (the new sun) // 2061 // astigmatic anteloper // inia // pink dolphins // international anthem fatlip and blu featuring gba, hemlock ernst and ras kass // good for the soul (extended version) // live from the end of the world, volume one (demos) // guilty by association jamila woods // kootchi // neneh cherry - the versions // universal animals on wheels // skill bus // tap ep // (self-released) vacant gardens // field of vines // field of vines 7" // tough love claude // in limbo // enactor ep // side hustle marine girls // don't come back // lazy ways // cherry red hovvdy // hide // billboard for my feelings ep // grand jury peaness // doing fine // world full of worry // totally snick thee ahs // oooh (they are inside me) // thee ahs ahttack! 7" ep // 7iete pulgadas