Ornette Coleman.
Based on my last couple of posts, I couldn’t figure out whether to go backwards or forwards in time, so I’ll continue through my personal musical journey that got me jazz engaged.
As an unrepentant pop rocker coming out of high school, I had no interest at all in jazz until Tony Williams left Miles Davis and started what was essentially a hard rock band with jazz players (more on that next time). For me it was a short leap to Ornette Coleman, who, while being a total, pure jazzer, was crazy enough but bluesy enough for any rocker. Or so it sounded to me. And just the title of this album made me think (correctly, as it turned out) that he was more interested in the future than the past, which as a card-carrying teenager, I had no interest in.
And what about his crazy, unique name? Google it and you’ll see there are no others. Just like his music.
These tracks are from 1959 (less than 15 years old when I first heard them), but they always sound fresh to me. And to tie it in with these posts, Charlie Haden was the bassist.
Ornette Coleman: alto saxophone
Don Cherry: cornet
Charlie Haden: bass
Billy Higgins: drums
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On May 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am
Thanks again Fred. I really like these. I’m trying to wrap my head around what his early piano playing sounded like.
On May 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am
Jason, I was probably unclear. Ornette’s an alto saxophone player and Charlie Haden (on these tracks and the last) is an acoustic bassist. I’ll post personnel from now on.
On May 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am
I can’t believe I only found out these posts contained the music track. Love the selection. You should have FREDERADIO, streaming FRED tracks all day.
On May 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am
You were clear, I wasn’t. The wikipedia artical said he had Walter Norris on piano for his first few records. I was trying to say I wonder what his early records with someone on piano sounded like.
On May 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am
Got it. I’ll dig one of them out. Actually, they sound pretty much the same, and you wonder why a piano’s there. One trivia not: Walter Norris’ daughter was my wife’s best friend in high school; they just reconnected yesterday over the internet after 30 years.
On May 24th, 2006 at 12:00 am
These are great. Looks like I have a new musical obsession.
On May 31st, 2008 at 7:08 pm
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