Five Elements is one of the many forms of expression through which alto sax player Steve Coleman (1956) manifests his constant stream of ideas. The group was formed after Coleman spent years busking on the streets of New York in the mid-1980s. After that, the band became the flagship for many of his initiatives. Constantly swirling rhythms, telepathic detours, and unexpected contrasts make up the trademark of Five Elements. Trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson (1982) has been a devoted confidant of Coleman since 2000. Drummer Sean Rickman (1970) has been working with him since 1996, and also sings in addition to playing guitar and bass. The versatile Canadian bassist Rich Brown (1970) is also a formidable henchman to the fearless Coleman. The group's most recent album is PolyTropos/Of Many Turns (PI Recordings), a generous double CD filled with music that manages to be complex and fundamentally accessible at the same time.
