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Ornette Coleman 1930-2015
Ornette Coleman's "Tone Dialing" came out in 1995, but I probably didn't discover it until around 2000. I still don't universally love the album, but there were enough surprising and delightful things on it, particularly a reinterpretation of a Bach Prelude, that it stuck in my head. It blended funk and jazz and 1990s electronica with surety and style.
Eventually, of course, I was led to Coleman's "Free Jazz" by a co-worker on one of my college internships. Now that was a revelation. Over the last decade, I've probably listened to the whole forty minute thing a dozen times, when I'm looking for creative inspiration. Last time was about a year ago. It's still so fresh sounding, so original, so expressive. I think that last is the most striking thing about "Free Jazz"... I hadn't realized, before my first listen, that music was capable of saying the things that "Free Jazz" says. Its exuberance, its playfulness, its sense of freedom, remains unrivaled.
Coleman's death is a great loss.
Eventually, of course, I was led to Coleman's "Free Jazz" by a co-worker on one of my college internships. Now that was a revelation. Over the last decade, I've probably listened to the whole forty minute thing a dozen times, when I'm looking for creative inspiration. Last time was about a year ago. It's still so fresh sounding, so original, so expressive. I think that last is the most striking thing about "Free Jazz"... I hadn't realized, before my first listen, that music was capable of saying the things that "Free Jazz" says. Its exuberance, its playfulness, its sense of freedom, remains unrivaled.
Coleman's death is a great loss.