The Shape of Jazz to Come

Occupation

• Alto Saxophone: Ornette Coleman
• Cornet: Don Cherry
• Bass: Charlie Haden
• Drums: Billy Higgins

The Shape of Jazz to Come is a jazz album by Ornette Coleman, which documents the transition to free jazz and avant-garde jazz. Added on May 22, 1959 was the peculiarity of this album in the absence of conventional " Chord Changes" ( chord changes ). In part, the music dissolves here for the first time from the traditional jazz form scheme.

The album

The Shape of Jazz to Come is Ornette Coleman's first production on Atlantic Records, a label with which Coleman came into contact through the mediation of pianist John Lewis. Nesuhi Ertegun agreed with Lester Koenig, head of the California Contemporary Records that Coleman should change the label because his career from California could not be adequately supported. At the same time it is the first recording on the next Don Cherry and the rhythm section of his classic quartet with Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins is involved.

All six tracks on the album are original compositions by Coleman. The tracks have in common is that they still at the traditional flow of jazz pieces (Theme / improvisation / theme) are oriented, but to break away from the then customary harmonic structures, which through the communicative musicality Haden 's and Higgin 's, the unconventional lines of Coleman and Cherry was to follow, allows. The soloists are therefore not bound by harmonic specifications and enjoy much more freedom in dealing with their own sound material. This concept was a crucial step in the development of free jazz, although the term was not coined until later called another album of Coleman.

Lonely woman ignored the rules of bebop. Higgins sets a fast pace, but the two wind lay the idiosyncratic topic in a slow rubato about it and explore it from; Haden plays on the bass rather than accents that he is pursuing a metric orientation. The melody is rarely included in the solos and the atmosphere of the songs varies between different emotions: sorrow, sympathy and resignation. The piece now enjoys the rank of standards and is probably the composition of Coleman, which is most often played by other jazz musicians.

Peace is also a slow piece and includes a duet of Cherry and Haden, with the cornet almost disappears behind the irregular sounds of the double bass.

Eventuality is based partly on a three-note Lick of Coleman, who is first repeated ten times and taken up again and again in his solo.

Focus on Sanity with his three fanfare themes and several tempo changes for Coleman biographer Litwiler the most notable piece of plate; there a quiet solo by Haden is abruptly replaced by a high-pitched solo by Coleman, which is partially played in double-time before the solo of Cherry leads back into a calmer waters, but even there continues to penetrate terror. Coleman originally wanted that this should be the title track of the album.

Congeniality and Chronology are consistently played at a fast pace. Congeniality varies between restlessness, Aufgekratztsein, happiness and sadness; the piece allows the soloist to trace these feelings, what Coleman succeeds in particularly humorous way.

Reception

The album and Coleman's concept solved in its appearance of much controversy. Other than that recorded in 1958 for the California Contemporary label album Something Else! , Which was sold only to a limited and was not very effective, it was clearly perceived. The jazz audience did at first hard to see in the free improvisation structures, which led to accusations of arbitrariness and lack of skills. Even jazz greats like Miles Davis denied Coleman's music at the time the artistic recognition. Downbeat headlined the end of 1959 according to "The Controversial Mr. Coleman " Nevertheless, the album has received great attention, and the positive votes of Coleman's supporters prevailed over time. Although the controversy about tradition and avant-garde jazz continues to this day, The Shape of Jazz to Come is today perceived mainly as a classic in jazz history. Allmusic gave the album five stars awarded.

Based on the title of the album, the Swedish hardcore punk band Refused released the album The Shape of Punk to Come.

Tracklist

1 Lonely Woman - 5:02

2 Eventually - 4:22

3 Peace - 9:04

4 Focus on Sanity - 6:52

5 Congeniality - 6:48

6 Chronology - 6:03

The Japanese WEA issue of the CD also contains the following pieces recorded on the same day and first appeared on later records:

7 Monk and the Nun - 5:55

8 Just for You - 3:55

Was published on Coleman's album " Twins" (Atlantic SD 1588), on " The Art of the Improvisers " (Atlantic SD 1572).