Ornette Coleman, born Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman on March 9, 1930, in Fort Worth, Texas, was a revolutionary American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer. Regarded as one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the late 1950s and beyond, Coleman's approach to music eschewed traditional harmony and rhythm, favoring instead a more open-ended and often dissonant exploration of sound. His work challenged the bebop establishment, leading to a new paradigm for jazz that was less bound by structural constraints.

Coleman released his debut album "Something Else!!!! The Music of Ornette Coleman" in 1958, which heralded a new wave of jazz. His 1960 album "Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation," which featured a double quartet, was groundbreaking and gave the free jazz movement its name. Over the years, Coleman's career was characterized by relentless innovation and a refusal to compromise his artistic vision. Notable releases such as "The Shape of Jazz to Come" and "The Atlantic Years (Remastered)" are exemplary of his profound influence on the genre. His work expanded the boundaries of jazz and earned him numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his 2005 album "Sound Grammar." Coleman's life and career left an indelible mark on the world of music, a legacy of both brilliance and the relentless pursuit of artistic truth, until his passing on June 11, 2015.

Genres

Avant-garde Jazz

Contemporary Post-bop

Free Jazz

Jazz

Jazz Saxophone

Latest Release

Ornette Coleman Live Berliner Jazztage November 4th. 1972 (Restauración 2023)

Ornette Coleman

Single - Released December 14, 2023