JAZZ Recommendations: ORNETTE COLEMAN

[mobile homeless]

Ornette Coleman is NOT easy. This does not go down with the cool ease of something like early Miles Davis.

But I love Ornette Coleman. He does some amazing stuff although for first timers into jazz, he might seem a bit on the esoteric side with phrasing that is hard to grasp and compositions that are far more challenging for the listener. Ornette Coleman is really not background music; he demands attention (not to say that others dont, but it is even more imperative with the likes of Ornette, Dolphy, Ayler and others that practice more Free style jazz).

But if you havent heard Ornette Coleman, you owe it to yourself to at least pick up a few to sample. Some are easier to take in than others but ALL worthy (although some might disagree). Ornette is best known of ushering in the concept of FREE JAZZ. But Ornette thought of it differently.

Here, Vivien Goldman summarizes a bit of what Ornette was after:

Coleman is the creator of a concept of music called "harmolodic," a musical form which is equally applicable as a life philosophy. The richness of harmolodics derives from the unique interaction between the players. Breaking out of the prison bars of rigid meters and conventional harmonic or structural expectations, harmolodic musicians improvise equally together in what Coleman calls compositional improvisation, while always keeping deeply in tune with the flow, direction and needs of their fellow players. In this process, harmony becomes melody becomes harmony. Ornette describes it as "Removing the caste system from sound." On a broader level, harmolodics equates with the freedom to be as you please, as long as you listen to others and work with them to develop your own individual harmony.

His landmark recording was "THE SHAPE OF JAZZ TO COME" as this was one of first recorded examples of Ornette breaking free of chords and typical phrasing, opening up to free musicians to move in areas not explored before. Improvisation took a giant, looping left turn and started traveling without a map. This recording is a must have in my view for anyone interested in jazz... In some ways, it's hard to believe it was done in 59. Listen to the work done in Congeniality and you will hear greatness.

Here are just a few to START the Ornette Coleman exploration:

Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come

Just an EXCELLENT LP... Recommended!

LA, January 16, February 23, March 9-10, 1959

Ornette Coleman(as), Don Cherry(tp), Red Mitchell(, Percy Heath(, Shelly Manne(d)

Ornette Coleman: This Is Our Music

New York, July 19, 1960 Ornette Coleman(as), Don Cherry(tp), Charlie Haden(, Ed Blackwell(d)

The Ornette Coleman Trio: At The "Golden Circle" Vol. 1 1965

A GREAT live recording - Vol 2 is more esoteric.

" Gyllende Cirklen" Stockholm, December 3 & 4, 1965

Ornette Coleman(as,tp,vln), David Izenzon(, Charles Moffett(d)

Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz

Double Quartets playing opposite each other - this is challenging listening - out there... And ONLY recommended with NOTE that this is an acquired taste

New York, December 21, 1960 Ornette Coleman(as), Don Cherry(tp), Charlie Haden(, Ed Blackwell(d), Billy Higgins(d), Scott LaFaro(, Eric Dolphy(bcl), Freddie Hubbard (tp)

kh

[Painful Reality]

Thanks again,

Christ I wish I'd get these records in the 4 for $1 (canadian...).

Sadly, I usually see other's favorites than yours in these bins.

I really fell for Ornette Coleman stuff at the first listen, while I'll confess this is no easy listening. Céline Dion lovers might refrain from buying. Speaking of Céline... Allan, I saw her singing in a shopping mall when she was young young young (but probably pretty intimate with her manager)... Ha! Don't tell me you can you say the same!

[mobile homeless]

Read this take below on some of the music from Ornette Coleman, this more from the likes of his album FREE JAZZ:

"Ornette Coleman has caused more arguments and fights, more controversy and disagreement and more schizophrenia amongst followers and critics alike than almost any other jazz musician in history. Legends abound concerning Coleman, including threats of physical harm whilst playing, having his alto sax destroyed by an angry mob and of being left behind by the rest of his crew during a touring stop in Los Angeles. Whether true or not, Coleman's involvement with and development of the free jazz medium has won him both fans and enemies. He was hailed by many as a natural successor to, and progression from, the late Charlie Parker, and he has been the first to admit Parker's overwhelming influence upon him. Many other people found his music totally unacceptable, challenging as it does many of the conventional rules and notions of Western musical harmony.

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Now THAT is out of the way as more intro, Jeff had mentioned the "Beauty is a Rare Thing" collection of ALL his Atlantic recordings from 59-61. The only reason I dont mention this REALLY convenient package of Ornette is that it's really only available in CD form. BUT, there isnt a more ONE GRAB take all collection of Ornette's amazing time with ATLANTIC. It's all here in this six box CD set. Of course, I think jazz on vinyl, tubes, horns is THE way to fly and it surely brings the best of this medium, but due to the availability, most are stuck in the CD world.

These CDs do contain 6 selections never before released as well as an album only released in Japan. According to the AMG site, Ornette DIDNT promote this compilation as it was not presented in his original context (and his royalties were not changed). If you DO become a Coleman fan after getting something like The Shape of Jazz to Come, still around in vinyl, and on ebay as well, then perhaps this six CD set is an answer.

But again, if just starting out, I would probably choose THE SHAPE OF JAZZ TO COME as my first exposure to what Ornette is all about. I play this record quite often along with the EXCELLENT Ornette Coleman Trio at the Golden Circle Stockholm VOL 1. The Stockholm Vol 1 CD is actually pretty nice as it's a Rudy Van Gelder 24Bit analog to digital remaster.

kh

[Allan Songer]

I too am am huge fan of Ornette Coleman's music. I think I have every LP he released from '58 through the mid 1980s--I haven't counted them but I probably have 60-odd Ornette records. I have heard him live about 7-9 times (once acoustic, the rest with "Prime Time"). And I NEVER beat the drum for his music around here becuase I know from experience what the response will be!

My friend Jimmie Maddin (who owned the "Sundown" and helped Terry Gibbs put together the "Dream Band"--but that's another story) was one of the first club owners in LA to book Ornette's original quintet BEFORE he went to NYC and made history. Orentte had just cut his first Contemporary LP and Jimmie signed him to a two-week gig. He said it was a GREAT success musically, but the band would empty out the club and Jimmie lost his *** for those two weeks!

I think "The Shape of Jazz to Come" is one of those records that comes along only a few times every generation -certainly in my all-time top ten. The opening of "Lonely Woman" still makes me jump in my seat whenever I hear it.

What made Orentte SOOO different from a gaggle of "free" players that followed was that the MF understood SWING and SOUL and no matter how OUT the music got, the swing and soul is THERE (I feel exaclty the same way about both Jackie's McLean's and Sam Rivers' "free" recordings).

I hardly ever do this, but since you brought it up--here are my Ornette Coleman ESSNETIAL TEN!

1. The Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic)

2. This is Our Music (Atlantic)

3. Something Else! (Contemporary)

4. Free Jazz (Atlantic)

5. At the Golden Circle (1&2) (Blue Note)

6. Crisis (Impulse)

7. Dancing in Your Head (A&M Harvest)

8. Science Fiction (Columbia)

9. Soapsuds, Soapsuds (Artist's House)

10. Tomorrow is the Question! (Contemporary)

[kjohnsonhp]

I have found that when sampling new styles I like to start with the most accessible tracks and work my way up to the more challenging pieces. This has been very true in my classical music pursuits where I have a list of recommended cuts starting with "MILD" then moving to "MEDIUM", "MEDIUM HOT", and "HOT" with Shoenberg being an example of "HOT".

The concept of "free jazz" and if I can assume that's similar to what I have called "free form Jazz" has always made me run for the exits. I believe my live jazz club experiences with the more improvisational jazz jamming has been one of the reasons I've never really pursued the style further.

At the other extreme I probably haven't been too thrilled with "cool grocery store jazz" either.

The Sonny Rollins and Mile Davis tracks I'm enjoying have peaked my interest so I'll build up from there. I don't think I'll go out of my way to jump into Ornette Colemen quite yet. I need to pass JAZZ 101 first--I'm a freshman. I'll let the upper classman follow these recommendations.

I have enjoyed all the album covers... I like comparing the JOE JACKSON cover to the original.

[Cuffclean]

Kelly/Allan.........perhaps the two of you could colloborate and develop an essential "best" list of jazz "classics" and create a page on Kelly's website. Piecemeal forum post can get buried in archives. This may help those with an interest in building a comprehensive collection. The same might be applicable for the classical genre.

Thoughts?