Ornette Coleman◈ Innovator◈ Experimentor◈ Jazz legend
David Mashkevich - IDC 1001H - Professor Hoffman
Background◈ Born in Fort Worth, TX◈ Played saxophone at a young age◈ Started his first band in high school◆ The Jam Jivers
◈ Joined Silas Green (traveling show) - New Orleans
◈ Pee Wee Crayton (band) - Los Angeles
Breakout◈ 1959 - The Shape of Jazz to Come◆ Experimental style
◈ Atlantic Records◈ Lenox School of Jazz
“A watershed event in the genesis of avant-garde jazz, profoundly steering its future course and throwing down a gauntlet that some still haven’t come to grips with
-Steve Huey (AllMusic)
Free Jazz Movement◈ Did not obey traditional
harmonic patterns◈ Influenced by Thelonious
Monk and Horace Silver◈ Gave the performer a much
broader control over how he chose to string together different notes and rhythms
Influence in New York◈ Five Spot Jazz Club - early 1960s◈ Met with divided reaction◈ Support: Leonard Bernstein, Lionel Hampton◈ Opposition: Miles Davis◈ Lost his label◈ Refused to change his style to please audiences
Later Years◈ Continued experimenting with music◈ Began to involve his son as a drummer◆ Denardo Coleman
◈ 1972 - London Symphony Orchestra◆ Skies of America
Themes Represented◈ What makes New York City unique?◆ Fostered Coleman’s innovative work
◈ What is art and what is its purpose?◆ Challenge the status quo
◈ Meaningfulness◆ Coleman’s work stood out (for good or bad)
Sources◈ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ornette-Coleman◈ http://www.biography.com/people/ornette-coleman-92531
39◈ http://www.nndb.com/people/990/000029903/◈ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ornette-coleman-mn00004
84396/biography
THANKS!
Top Related