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Ornette Coleman - Avant-garde / Free-form jazz

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rodney vidanes:
what can you say about Ornette Coleman?

he was one of the pioneer of the avant-garde,free-form jazz aside from one of the few notable persons of the form like John Coltrane. Coleman was also the man behind "THe Shape of Jazz to Come". A versatile player of the conventional jazz form but he also has a wider vision about jazz. While some were able to criticize him for his different point of view about jazz, partially i understand what he's trying to say thru his compositions even though he displays atonal approach--it's the language of his heart..but theoretically, that's what interests me, his art and principle of Harmolodics. i think it's worth exploring.

please share your thoughts about him, his recordings you have in your shelf or your opinions about the so-called free-form jazz.

Chito:
Check out the album "Song X" where he collaborates with Pat Metheny. They're backed up by Charlie Haden on bass and Jack deJohnette on drums together with Ornette's son Denardo. When I bought this album in '85 it was too much to comprehend. Still is after 21 years hahahahahaha

rodney vidanes:
yeah i have that album "SOng X". but i don't know why i was able to appreciate it upon hearing the tracks from that album.i know it sounded so uncommon, or it could be weird or seemingly unorganized for most who'd listen to it; you'd hear contrasting melodies simultaneously played by the members of the group...all i noticed was that they were true to themselves and to what they were doing..there was a sense of freedom of expression but communication between the musicians was still in control.the sound is atonal--it might not be conforming to the styles of music of the world that we grew up with, but i think the free-form jazz is more deeply concerned with the expression of the soul, the person within. or the artist in you.

Deacon Blues:
I think I'd like to call it 'alternative jazz' ...

When I listen to it, I want to look for an alternative ..  :)

There's a very thin line between freedom and chaos, and Ornette's music teeters on the brink ..

Now, let me qualify that I haven't heard much of his music, but just for the record, I prefer not to listen to Song X at all.

Call me ignorant, but his playing sounds sloppy to me .. I know there's a valid reason behind such a radical technical approach to the instrument, but when you say sax, I'd really rather listen to someone else, like say, David Sanborn or Brecker ..

Maybe you can enlighten us a little more? .. :)

deltaslim:
sa akin ok pa i-digest yung Shape of Jazz To Come... pero yung Free Jazz, nabubulunan ako! :-)

but what i take away from OC is playing from his heart and letting his subconscious out. almost like a stream of consciousness thing.  musically, i look for his innovations in melody, rhythm, dissonance. ung lines nya, especially, sound sometimes like a voice speaking a local dialect -- short mini-melody lines na hindi connected, unlike bird na long legato lines. altho i know chamba lang nya un kasi he himself said he doesn't know and can't analyze what he will play before he plays it!

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