Not that Coleman seems to dwell on his legacy. He has begun recording other musicians’ records in his Harlem studio for his own label. He pores over a book on his musical theory. He’s working with three Asian musicians on a new record. He’ll perform in Italy this winter with the Joujouka panpipes troupe of Morocco; ethnic music will supplant pop, he declares. But Coleman’s ability to infect a new generation with the sp/rit of his singular quest may be the best proof yet that it’s not just jive.
