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)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNbD1JIH344

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!