R.I.P. Ornette Coleman

[thebrushwithin]

Legend passes away.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/vernon-reid-on-ornette-coleman-he-set-a-lot-of-people-free-20150612

[mbenigni]

Thanks for sharing this.

[Chumly]

I've always appreciated his music and the fact that he bypassed conventions; I have not listened to him for years however, I will listen to him today in memory.

[thebrushwithin]

Sure thing! There is also this about the passing of Sir Christopher Lee:
http://www.guitarworld.com/node/24694

I was not aware he played heavy metal! Great actor!

[Chumly]

I did hear about Christopher Lee this morning, but I do not know much about him, I did note the metal reference. I suppose if William Shatner can sell recordings...

[thebrushwithin]

Mr. Coleman was definitely a pioneer! In 2002, i decided to pay tribute to his work on Song X, with Pat Metheny, so I recorded " Nuttin' But 'Nette " .

https://markmiceli.bandcamp.com/track/nuttin-but-nette

[mbenigni]

Re: Christopher Lee and heavy metal.

[mbenigni]

I just read this tribute to Ornette Coleman by songwriter Joe Henry (with whom I had no previous familiarity).  It's just so beautiful; I thought some of you might want to see it.

News has just reached me this very hour that Ornette Coleman has died at the age of 85. Given his age, I can't say the news is shocking; but it is nonetheless a blow to those of us who have leaned in for so long to take heart from his life-affirming inventions.


Picasso said that, "every act of creation is first an act of destruction. The artist's hand is the hand of a matador." And just so, when we recorded together in October of 1999, Ornette Coleman deconstructed my song "Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation" right in front of me –but first he assumed the point of view of the bull, already on his knees. Only later, near the song's end, did he rise out of the character of the fallen beast to take up the sword and cape himself and finish what we all knew had been coming. The rest of us in attendance could only watch as Ornette rendered from the song what only a man of his experience can fully exact, leaving me the tail and an ear.

I won't say that it was easy for him to get to the root as he did, but it was essential to him, and he would settle for nothing else. He was restlessly unsatisfied after several takes that I thought brilliant, and said to me, "Joseph, I know the saxophone so well. And I still hear myself playing the saxophone. I need to keep going until I'm not playing sax anymore but just playing music."

He kept going.

We all have brief moments of clarity, where for just an instant we are allowed to see that, regardless of frustration and doubt, we are exactly where we are supposed to be –many of those moments courtesy of an elder lighting our path. And we inch ahead, heartened, if somewhat tentative like a tightrope walker at a death tempo. I now see that perhaps with the invitation of a song, Richard Pryor finessed me into the presence of Ornette Coleman for no other reason than so that he, Ornette, could ring my bedside phone on the morning of my fortieth birthday. For when I picked up the receiver and heard Ornette playing "Happy Birthday" over the wire, what it sounded like to me was more truth from a loving and unlikely messenger. I heard: Know it or not, you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this moment in your life.

I was grateful that moment that Ornette reached into my frame so vivildy, and with such kind acknowledgment of my existence. I am even more so now: that he stayed with us all so long to do the same.

[Elantric]

Sad to see the passing of great stars

I  worked on location with Christoher Lee  back in the late 1970s for the low budget sci-fi movie "End of the World" (Charles Band productions)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_the_World_(1977_film)


have a few other precious memories with the rest of the cast
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sue_Lyon


and Ornette Coleman is featured prominently on one of my favorite LP's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Ono/Plastic_Ono_Band

[thebrushwithin]

Wow! That was beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

News has just reached me this very hour that Ornette Coleman has died at the age of 85. Given his age, I can't say the news is shocking; but it is nonetheless a blow to those of us who have leaned in for so long to take heart from his life-affirming inventions.


Picasso said that, "every act of creation is first an act of destruction. The artist's hand is the hand of a matador." And just so, when we recorded together in October of 1999, Ornette Coleman deconstructed my song "Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation" right in front of me –but first he assumed the point of view of the bull, already on his knees. Only later, near the song's end, did he rise out of the character of the fallen beast to take up the sword and cape himself and finish what we all knew had been coming. The rest of us in attendance could only watch as Ornette rendered from the song what only a man of his experience can fully exact, leaving me the tail and an ear.

I won't say that it was easy for him to get to the root as he did, but it was essential to him, and he would settle for nothing else. He was restlessly unsatisfied after several takes that I thought brilliant, and said to me, "Joseph, I know the saxophone so well. And I still hear myself playing the saxophone. I need to keep going until I'm not playing sax anymore but just playing music."

He kept going.

We all have brief moments of clarity, where for just an instant we are allowed to see that, regardless of frustration and doubt, we are exactly where we are supposed to be –many of those moments courtesy of an elder lighting our path. And we inch ahead, heartened, if somewhat tentative like a tightrope walker at a death tempo. I now see that perhaps with the invitation of a song, Richard Pryor finessed me into the presence of Ornette Coleman for no other reason than so that he, Ornette, could ring my bedside phone on the morning of my fortieth birthday. For when I picked up the receiver and heard Ornette playing "Happy Birthday" over the wire, what it sounded like to me was more truth from a loving and unlikely messenger. I heard: Know it or not, you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this moment in your life.

I was grateful that moment that Ornette reached into my frame so vivildy, and with such kind acknowledgment of my existence. I am even more so now: that he stayed with us all so long to do the same.

[mbenigni]

Mr. Coleman was definitely a pioneer! In 2002, i decided to pay tribute to his work on Song X, with Pat Metheny, so I recorded " Nuttin' But 'Nette " .

https://markmiceli.bandcamp.com/track/nuttin-but-nette

"All instruments by Mark Miceli"

Wait.  Are you Mark Miceli?  Very impressive!

[thebrushwithin]

Yes, Thanks much Marc!

[thebrushwithin]

and Ornette Coleman is featured prominently on one of my favorite LP's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Ono/Plastic_Ono_Band

Somehow, I didn't remember this! Thanks !

[mbenigni]

Yes, Thanks much Marc!

You're quite welcome.  Some great players on this forum - I am constantly humbled.

[mbenigni]

I  worked on location with Christoher Lee  back in the late 1970s for the low budget sci-fi movie "End of the World" (Charles Band productions)

Too cool.

[thebrushwithin]

Some great players on this forum - I am constantly humbled.

You are not alone!
By the way, the "instruments" were all keyboards, that I played, not the real thing! I wish!

[whippinpost91850]

Somehow, I didn't remember this! Thanks !

Me either, My biggest exposure to Mr Coleman, was his Intergalactic Archestra, which I got to see at the AnnArbor blues and jazz festival, I think in 1970. What a great imaginative, out there show

[VGA-7]

If anyone is interested WKCR New York is playing Ornette's memorial broadcast until 9:am
wed.EST
www.wkcr.org
I am so bummed the" Jimi "of the sax has passed !

[thebrushwithin]

I  worked on location with Christoher Lee  back in the late 1970s for the low budget sci-fi movie "End of the World" (Charles Band productions)

That had to be an interesting experience! He was a hell of a man - what a life!!!
Here are some interesting facts about Sir Christopher:

http://io9.com/22-incredible-facts-about-the-life-and-career-of-sir-ch-1710917366