Sax Advent Calendar 2019 #4 – Ornette Coleman
Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman is a saxophone player who can certainly divide opinion! Born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1930 he was one of the pioneers of the Free Jazz movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. His album The Shape of Jazz to Come still sounds modern and hip some sixty years after it was recorded and released.
One thing I didn’t mention in the video was how Wynton Marsalis urged me to teach more Ornette transcriptions to solos – I found this odd given what a ‘conservative’ reputation Wynton has in jazz circles.