Tag Archives: The shape of jazz to come

Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come

In November 1959, “Atlantic” label released “The Shape of Jazz to Come”, the third Ornette Coleman album. It was recorded in May 1959, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun. In 2012, the “Library of Congress” added the album to the “National Recording Registry”. Magazine “Rolling Stone” included the album in its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 2015, the album was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.

Personnel:

  • Ornette Coleman – alto saxophone
  • Don Cherry – cornet
  • Charlie Haden – bass
  • Billy Higgins – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Ornette Coleman.

  1. Lonely Woman
  2. Eventually
  3. Peace
  4. Focus on Sanity
  5. Congeniality
  6. Chronology

Ornette Coleman: Twins

On October 4, 1971, “Atlantic” label released “Twins”, the tenth Ornette Coleman album. It was recorded 1959 – 1961, assembled without Coleman’s input, comprising outtakes from recording sessions of 1959 to 1961 for “The Shape of Jazz to Come”, “This Is Our Music”, “Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation”, and “Ornette!”. Sessions for “Monk and the Nun” took place at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, for “First Take” at “A&R Studios” in New York City, and all others at “Atlantic Studios” in Manhattan. The album was produced by Nesuhi Ertegün.

Personnel:

  • Ornette Coleman – alto saxophone
  • Don Cherry – pocket trumpet; cornet
  • Charlie Haden – bass 
  • Scott LaFaro – bass 
  • Billy Higgins – drums 
  • Ed Blackwell – drums 
  • Freddie Hubbard – trumpet 
  • Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet 

Track listing:

All tracks by Ornette Coleman.

  1. First Take
  2. Little Symphony
  3. Monk and the Nun
  4. Check Up
  5. Joy of a Toy

Ornette Coleman

On June 11, 2015, Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman, died aged 85. He was musician (saxophone, violin, trumpet), regarded as one of the most important and influential artists in the history of jazz music. Coleman was the major innovator of the free jazz movement in the 60’s, and invented the name “free jazz” with a name of his album. His third studio album from 1959, “The shape of the jazz to come” is regarded as one of the most important albums in the history of modern jazz.