Allan Songer Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 At age 74 and after nearly 50 years of pursuing his unique vision Ornette Coleman showed once again he is able to both thrill and offend. Needless to say, I was among the thrilled. Coleman's performance was THE most exciting concert I have heard in a long, LONG time! Playing in a quartet setting with two bassists, Greg Cohen and Tony Falanga and son Denardo Coleman on drums, Ornette performed with a fire and brilliance rarely heard in any venue, but in the stunning enviroment of Frank Geahry's Disney Hall it simply took my breath way. It didn't hurt that I was sitting in the fourth row. The two bass quartet provided pefrect support for Coleman--Falanga primarily played with a bow. frequently falling in step with Ornette and providing a second lead voice while Cohen was FLYING with Denardo, playing bass as clean and fast as I have ever heard--just a BRUTAL pace. I am still trying to digest what I heard on Friday night, but for some it wasn't worth the effort--at least 100 people left before the performance was over. I guess when they bought their "jazz at Disney Hall" tickets they had NO idea how challenging the music might be! For an encore a THRID bass joined the group--Charlie Haden! When Haden broke into the first notes of "Lonely Woman," the crowd, now STANDING broke into spontanious applause. Haden played beautifully and Coleman's playing actually choked me up a bit. I have never walked out of a concert hall more satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Allan, I have heard WONDERFUL things about the disney hall. Care to let us know what you thought of it too, as a venue? I bet the people/ groups at this venue are just fantastic. I am very jealous it is not here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sivadselim Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 sounds impressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 ---------------- On 11/15/2004 11:53:48 AM Allan Songer wrote: I am still trying to digest what I heard on Friday night, but for some it wasn't worth the effort--at least 100 people left before the performance was over. I guess when they bought their "jazz at Disney Hall" tickets they had NO idea how challenging the music might be! No accounting for Philistines among us, I suppose. Maybe they were expecting "It's a Small World"... For an encore a THRID bass joined the group--Charlie Haden! When Haden broke into the first notes of "Lonely Woman," the crowd, now STANDING broke into spontanious applause. Haden played beautifully and Coleman's playing actually choked me up a bit. Now you're just making me jealous. You're lucky to have been there. --------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 "The Shape Of Jazz To Come" is well over my head so the evening may have been too musically challenging for me as well. On the other hand, I'm happy for you, Allan, and all the other fans that really appreciated the night. There are many of us that will never have the opportunity to share the excitement of a live performance with musicians possessing that kind of talent. Just watching "An Evening With Blue Note" on DVD is a thrill for me. To be there live, Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Good point, Boomac. I guess that comment about Philistines was a bit snotty. A matter of perspective, I suppose. Sometimes I forget myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Glad you enjoyed it Allan. I'm not very familiar with his music but it's nice to hear some of these legends are still out playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted November 15, 2004 Author Share Posted November 15, 2004 When I look back on all the jazz artists I have been able to hear live, generally in small clubs, I consider myself very lucky indeed Just off the top of my head -- Ornette Coleman Miles Davis Art Pepper Bill Evans Billy Taylor Art Blakey Herbie Hancock Max Roach Horace Silver Sonny Rollins Sam Rivers Cedar Walton Charles McPherson James Moody Dexter Gordon Stanley Turrentine Jimmy Smith Bobby Hutcherson The Heath Brothers Jim Hall Sonny Stitt Charlie Mariano Bill Perkins Shelly Manne Bud Shank Johnny Griffin Joe Henderson Freddie Hubbard Kenny Burrell Harold Land Andrew Hill Benny Golson Lou Donaldson Lonne Smith Big John Patton JJ Johnson Jackie McLean Lee Konitz Warne Marsh Count Basie Teddy Edwards Houston Person Sonny Criss Don Cherry Pharoah Sanders Donald Byrd Illinois Jacquet! Jack Sheldon Sun Ra Cliff Jordan Elvin Jones Tommy Flanagan Hank Jones Toshiko Akyoshi MJQ Ray Brown Carmen McRae Ella Fitzgerald Helen Merrill Albert Ayler Hampton Hawes And many, many others . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 What, no KennyG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sivadselim Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 sweet list, allan. i'm a bit jealous. saw jimmy smith in LA at the catalina a few years back. otherwise, the only others on your list i've seen are herbie and pharoah. saw haden with joe lovano; t'was good. last heavyweight i saw was wayne shorter with brian blade, john patitucci, and danilo perez. ahmad jamal, soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 On 11/15/2004 5:18:38 PM fini wrote: What, no KennyG? ---------------- Kenny G leaves Allan speechless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 I hear the hall is one of the finest sounding concert halls in the world (so we know the Coleman jazz performance must've been simply spectacular). Even the concert pipe organ built by the European firm Glatter-Götz (and voiced by the American firm Rosales) is equally marvelous sounding for the room in which it was designed for. But I'm sorry...I'm a traditionalist, and that organ facade is the most heinous thing I've ever seen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Nice pic, those front five rows almost look like part of the stage! Allan, hope you caught the Charlie Haden interview last week (sent earlier via Wrightsville Beach pipeline). Noticed Illinois Jacquet was missing from your heard-live list! Remember reading earlier that you saw his show, too. With a roll call like that, undoubtedly the air here is heavy with envy... but good seats, too? Almost painful.. this east coaster is still getting by with memories from a Sonny Rollins concert a couple of years ago. Hearing (and feeling) the presence of these artists express their music live flat out transcends any stereo experience attainable at home. Glad it was a great concert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 Allan, You never saw this man? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted November 16, 2004 Author Share Posted November 16, 2004 Actually I DID see Louis Armstrong live when I was a kid--maybe 10 0r 11 years old or so. I went to a taping of a TV show with my grandparents and Louis was the big-name guest. I think it was the Dean Martin show if I remember correctly. He sang "Hello Dolly" and a duet with Dean Martin if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 I've heard several live broadcasts from that hall on WFMT here in Chicago, and I must admit, the sound quality has been magnificent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 I see Sonny Rollins will perform at this venue on March 16th. If tickets can be had, anybody have interest in a mini Klipsch meeting in LA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted November 16, 2004 Author Share Posted November 16, 2004 I already have my tix for Sonny Rollins--not quite as good as the Ornette seats,but still in the front section of the orchestra a bit to the side--I think they are in the fifth row. I also have tix for the James Moody 80th birthday concert later in the year. You are MORE than welcome to come for a visit! Stay a couple of days and we'll hit some jazz clubs on Thursday and Friday too! Then you could fly back on Saturday and be able to get a cheap flight. I have some connections with the L.A. Phil and could inquire about some choice seats--there are always season subscription seats that are turned back to the box office for one reason or another and they are NEVER sold to the "general public." Just let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sivadselim Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 anyone happen to see ornette with the grateful dead in 1993? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 Allan, Do you ever go to the LA Opera? The Chorus Master, William Vendice, was a good friend of my brother's, and grew up here in Sonoma County. Never been to the opera, myself. Just curious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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