Ornette Coleman

Ornette Coleman (born March 19, 1930) was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s, and one of the most notable figures in jazz history.

1960s

After the Atlantic period and into the early part of the 1970s, Coleman's music became more angular and engaged fully with the jazz avant-garde which had developed in part around Coleman's innovations.

Related Topics:
1970s - Avant-garde

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His quartet dissolved, and Coleman formed a new trio with David Izenzon on bass, and Charles Moffett on drums. Coleman began to extend the sound-range of his music, introducing accompanying string players (though far from the territory of "Parker With Strings") and playing trumpet and violin himself; he initially had little conventional technique, and used the instruments to make large, unrestrained gestures. His friendship with Albert Ayler influenced Coleman's development on trumpet and violin. (Haden would later sometimes join this trio to form a two-bass quartet.)

Related Topics:
David Izenzon - Charles Moffett - Trumpet - Violin - Technique - Albert Ayler

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Between 1965 and 1967 Coleman signed with legendary jazz record label Blue Note Records and released a number of recordings starting with the influential recordings of the trio At The Golden Circle in Stockholm.

Related Topics:
1965 - 1967 - Blue Note Records

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In 1966, Coleman was criticised for recording The Empty Foxhole, a trio with Haden, and Coleman's son Denardo Coleman — who was ten years old. Some regarded this as perhaps an ill-advised publicity ploy on Coleman's part, and judged the move as a misstep. Others, however, noted that despite his youth, Denardo had studied drumming for several years, and noted his technique — which, though unrefined, was respectable and enthusiastic — owed more to "pulse" oriented free jazz drummers like Sunny Murray than to bebop drumming. Denardo has matured into a respected musician, and has been his father's primary drummer since the late 1970s.

Related Topics:
1966 - Denardo Coleman - Free jazz - Sunny Murray - Bebop

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Coleman formed another quartet. A number of bassists and drummers (including Haden, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones) appeared, and Dewey Redman joined the group, usually on tenor saxophone.

Related Topics:
Jimmy Garrison - Elvin Jones - Dewey Redman - Saxophone

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He also continued to explore his interest in string textures - from the Town Hall concert in 1962, culminating in Skies of America in 1972. (Sometimes this had a practical value, as it facilitated his group's appearance in England in 1965, where jazz musicians were under a quota arrangement but "classical" performers were exempt.)

Related Topics:
1962 - 1972 - 1965

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