Texas-born Ornette Coleman was one of the most uncompromising and influential artists in post-war jazz history. He also had a career that carried on long after his supposed heyday with some superb albums on Verve Records in the 1990s. These two Contemporary reissues represent the beginning of his recording career as a solo artist and leader in Los Angeles.
Something Else!!!! The Music of Ornette Coleman, released in 1958, features Coleman on alto sax, Don Cherry on trumpet, Waler Norris on piano, Don Payne on double bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. All the songs were written by Coleman. This is a swinging affair spotlighting Coleman in an uncharacteristically relaxed place with a joyously often blues-based sound.
His interplay with Cherry is incomparable. Norris, with his tasteful, melodic piano is the most responsible for helping Coleman play more accessible music. Higgins, as always, provides a kick and swing to any session he played on. The longest track, “Jayne,” written for his wife, is beautifully rendered. She was his first wife. The relationship lasted ten years and she went on to major literary success. This is quite an album for a debut release, hinting at the kind of groundbreaking free jazz music he would make in only a few short years.
Tomorrow is the Question! The New Music of Ornette Coleman, released the next year, would reflect the more experimental, dissonant, improvisational and avant-garde side of Coleman’s music and set the stage for his next album in 1959, his Atlantic debut, the groundbreaking The Shape of Jazz to Come. Don Cherry returns and on this album, Shelly Manne handles the drums, with Percy Heath on bass on side one and Red Mitchell on bass on side two. Eliminating piano would be part of Coleman’s new approach. Like on the previous album, all the songs were written by Coleman.
Coleman and his sidemen stretch out a lot more on this LP, particularly on the sprawling, nearly eight-minute “Turnaround.” Manne, associated more with the cool, West-Coast school, is part of the key to Coleman’s more adventurous side here, playing in various time signatures and keeping things grounded while the other musicians take off in sometimes unchartered directions. While still not as far out as Coleman would get on his six-album Atlantic run and beyond, it’s quite a leap.
Like previous releases in the Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series from Craft Recordings all analog mastering was done from the original analog tapes, with the vinyl pressed at QRP and the mastering here by Bernie Grundman. The jackets and labels are authentic and beautiful replicas of the originals. These are two more must-have jazz reissues from Contemporary and Craft Recordings.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
Something Else!!!! The Music of Ornette Coleman
B
Tomorrow is the Question! The New Music of Ornette Coleman
B+
