Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz (CD)

Modern improvisational jazz starts here. With one quartet placed in the left stereo channel and another situated in the right, Free Jazz unloads with two simultaneously playing rhythm sections and a 37-minute-plus title cut devised entirely on the spot. Distinctive from the copycat attempts that followed, this 1960 magnum opus claims melody and harmony, solidifying Ornette Coleman?s reputation as a compositional genius. Of course, the presence of Don Cherry, Scott LaFaro, Billy Higgins in the left channel and Coleman, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell in the right doesn't hurt.Mastered from the original master tapes, ORG Music's analog edition has turned this classic into an audiophile spectacular. Due to the presentation of the recording in two distinct stereo channels, this album supremely benefits from the label's mastering efforts and decision to expand the music into wider grooves. Prepare for a mind-blowing experience.

Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz. Available on Vinyl. Released in 1990.

Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz (Green Vinyl). Available on Vinyl. Released by Second Records. A jazz release from 2024.

'Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation' is an influential album by the American jazz saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman. Released in 1961, the album had a profound impact on the development of avant-garde jazz and has influenced countless musicians in various genres. The album is renowned for it's innovative approach to group improvisation, where multiple musicians play freely and interactively without predetermined harmonic progressions or fixed time signatures. The recording uses stereo panning to separate the two quartets into the left and right channels, creating a spatial effect that enhances the listening experience. The album originally consists of a single continuous piece, split into two parts for the original LP release. This performance lasts almost 40 minutes. This CD release contains a CD only bonus track: 'First Take' of approx. 17 minutes. This track is an alternate take of the main piece 'Free Jazz', recorded during the same session. It provides listeners with insight into the creative process and the evolution of the final performance featured on the original album.