Ornette Coleman

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Saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer Randall Denard Ornette Coleman was born on March 9, 1930, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Coleman is one of the giants who not only has created a vast body of work but has also shown potential in the music that have been life-changing for musicians and music fans all over the world.

One of the most haunting melodies in the history of jazz is Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman.”

This performance was at the Theatre Antique de Vienne as part of Jazz a Vienne in 2008.

This was one of the compositions that put Ornette on the map when he literally burst on the scene, his music practically kicking down the doors of jazz convention.

In time, what many came to realize is that his music, far from being haphazard and random as some claimed, was not only highly ordered, but actually reached deep into the roots of black music in general and jazz in particular.

In 1959 when Ornette first became a public figure, jazz was emphasizing a cool, ultra-polished form. Nothing wrong with that, but the art form is much, much bigger. As much as any musician in the tradition, Ornette’s music made room for the widest and deepest possible range of expression for all.

A short video about Ornette’s early years

Sonny Rollins and Ornette together (2010)

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