Sonny Stitt once told a young aspiring player: “If you take care of that horn, that horn will take care of you.” Steve Coleman didn't believe the legendary saxophonist, but he followed that advice, in the process creating his own musical worldview, which he calls Macro – Basic Array of Structured Extemporizations, or M-Base. It's gratifying to see artistic vision rewarded, as Coleman was with a $625,000 “Genius Award” from the MacArthur Foundation, which affords his band, Five Elements, to play at a small Little Tokyo club. As an uncompromising musical originator for over a decade, Coleman can now be the torch bearer for geniuses everywhere.

Tue., Dec. 16, 9 p.m.-midnight; Wed., Dec. 17, 9 p.m.-midnight, 2014
(Expired: 12/17/14)

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