RIP Ornette Coleman

[The Minsky Moment]

Almost a year to the day after Horace Silver died.

[Admiral Yi]

Jazz.  Hmm.

[Capetan Mihali]

Someone just emailed me this.  

He was more than just "jazz" though.  He was the shape of jazz to come.  He was something else.



When I saw him perform in 2004, he could still clear a Philadelphia gala season opening before the concert was halfway over.  I'm ashamed that I barely remember the music, but I do remember that his suit was incredible and that I was able to get a great seat after 20 or 30 minutes.

And R.I.P. Horace Silver, one of Connecticut's major cultural contributions of the 20th century.

[The Minsky Moment]

I saw Horace Silver play a couple times - last time was 6-7 years back.  He was with some youngish sidemen and for nearly the entire show he let the kids take the lead.  Then the very last number he played an incredible extended solo.  Turned out he was just pacing himself . . . He wasn't an innovator the way Coleman was, or Coltrane, or Miles or Monk.  But he had this incredible talent of playing hot and cool at the same time - Sonny Rollins could do the same thing, probably the Carib influence.

Ornette Coleman I don't think I ever saw live.  There was a big tribute concert for him in Brooklyn last year but I missed it.  I agree with you that he can't be captured by the jazz category - especially in its present day Lincoln Center sense.

The majority of you languishites who wouldn't have anything to do with "jazz" should try out "Dancing in Your Head" - Ornette's experiment in 70s style electro-funk.  Then close your eyes and cue up Shape of Jazz to Come - it's really worth it.

[The Minsky Moment]

EDIT: Yeah Cape Verde is not the Caribbean.  But the basic point still stands . . .