Tag: Ornette Coleman

Title: Ornette Coleman – The Shape Of Jazz To Come (1959) [Japanese Limited SHM-SACD 2011]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come, his Atlantic debut, is a landmark in avant-garde jazz. It challenged jazz harmony by eliminating the piano and fixed chord changes. Coleman and Don Cherry gained unprecedented freedom to explore melodies spontaneously. The rhythm section, with Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, supported Coleman’s radical vision. Critics feared Coleman’s free approach, claiming his music lacked structure. In retrospect, the album is accessible and often swinging, despite its controversy. Coleman’s alto saxophone, with its wailing and vocalized effects, defied conventional technique. His themes followed unpredictable paths, but his improvisations remained deeply melodic. “Lonely Woman” is a haunting classic, with “Congeniality” and “Peace” also standout tracks. This album is essential for understanding jazz’s avant-garde evolution.

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Title: Ornette Coleman – Skies Of America (1972) [Japan 2000]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Skies of America, Ornette Coleman’s 17th album, released in 1972 on Columbia Records, is a single orchestral composition. Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under David Measham, it features Coleman soloing in only a few segments. British union rules prevented Coleman’s quartet from playing, forcing him to adapt the work without its concerto grosso form. To fit on one LP, Coleman cut many recurring themes, and the recording quality is subpar. This was Coleman’s first recorded orchestral work, employing his innovative harmolodic theory, allowing simultaneous solos in different keys. The album, with 21 marked bands, is one unbroken piece with recurring themes tied to Coleman’s musical evolution. Notable themes, like “The Good Life,” trace back to 1962’s “School Work” and later became “Dancing in Your Head.” Coleman’s solos, from “The Artist in America” to “Sunday in America,” are emotionally and politically charged. The work’s dissonance challenges Western harmonic norms, making it both compelling and ahead of its time. Skies of America remains a bold, unreplicated challenge in music, still sounding revolutionary.

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