Customer Reviews

Change of the Century

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thought that this album was great. I admire how Ornette Coleman and his fellow musicians could create Jazz right on the spot like that. I may be only 11 years old, but I know what kind of music I like and I like this.

Change of the Century, Ornette's 4th album is a work of stunning brilliance. Any doubts that because it is sandwiched between the definitive classic The Shape Of Jazz To Come & the revolutionary Free Jazz that it would be somewhat lesser can be thrown right out. This is a great a jazz album as any ever made & amongst the greatest of any music, seriously all the labels, genre-specificness & niche marketing should be thrown right out, like OC fan Captain Beefheart meant when he said "Lick my decals off, baby!", I'm sure Ornette would agree. 1st of all there is the striking stark portrait of the man himself by Lee Friedlander to get yr attention, I've seen a book full of her photography & it's good stuff [note the similar style on Miles Davis' Greatest Hits lp cover of the late 60s]. Then there are the liner notes explaining the philosophy driving the music, Ornette believes deeply in what his group were doing [I should now mention that drummer Billy Higgins recently died & a sad shame it is, also the great Don Cherry has been gone since 1995], the bold titles of the albums were not an exercise to build an ego but just great confidence in the power of the music. Now, Ramblin' which opens the album is something that should be listened to every day to wake you up & get you in the mood for lifeliving, very catchy & great playing from all members, pure genius. Free is the name of the next track & it's worth noting this is preceding the term 'free jazz' slightly, the intro of it really superb, a streaming sea of sound & then of course there is a lot of free group improvisation. The Face Of The Bass highlights the talents of Charlie Haden [& rightly so!], daring to give him an extended solo before the whole band jumps in again. Una Muy Bonita is an overwhelmingly joyous tune but never embarrassingly so, another classic. The only tune to not grab you immediately & predict the more out there abrasiveness of the free jazz scene is the title track which closes the lp, it is also the shortest track here. The other songs are top notch too of course, particularly Forerunner. Like Ornette says in the liner notes, music can't be analysed too much or it loses what makes it great in the 1st place, so all I can say is it's something I highly recommend & yr ears will thank you for it. P.S. [3 months after initial write-up]: THIS IS THE PINNACLE, IT DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!! An absolute classic that can be played every day & is always compelling. That's not to say there's not a whole lot more worth checking out, the electric Body Meta & semi-orchestral Chappaqua Suite are brilliant too. Start here though.

Says Ornette in the liner notes: "I say, there is no single way to play jazz. Some of the comments made about my music make me realize though that modern jazz, once so daring and revolutionary, has become, in many respects, a rather settled and conventional thing." Just as bop had befuddled and angered critics to ask such narrow minded questions as, "where is the melody?", the music of Ornette Coleman confused and angered the majority of critics. But the muscicians were listening. Even Coleman's seminal "Free Jazz" sounds relatively tame when compared to the avante garde of the middle to late 60's, but it can be argued much of that music, good and bad, could never have come about without the adavnces of Ornette Coleman. A genius on par with names like: Ellington, Coltrane, Parker, jazz is still wrestling with his revolution. His lack of traditional structures, total absence of chorded instruments (i.e. piano, guitar), and even playing his plastic alto were all part of his revolution. But lets focus on what matters, this album is a delight from beginning to end. Ornette is in top form thoughout, check out his furious solo on "Forerunner". Bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins move with fluidity and cohesiveness through out. Donald Cherry on the pocket trumpet, while not impressive to me, is essential to the group for his willingness to take chances. To these ears this music swings as hard as any, and needs to be in any serious collection of jazz recordings, not because it is revoloutionary, but because it is good!

This is a classic recording, only slightly less compelling than Coleman's SHAPE OF JAZZ TO COME. If you like SHAPE, you'll certainly like CHANGE. These of course were recorded within a few months of each other, by the same legendary group (Coleman, Cherry, Haden, Higgins). To these ears, this remastered version is a big improvement (higher resolution) over the original CD. Same goes for the remastered version of SHAPE. These are both from the ATLANTIC MASTERS series (Warner Jazz), made in Germany. I haven't heard the much more expensive Japanese imports, but I expect the German ones may be hard to beat. The only downside is that you almost need a microscope to read the liner notes, and there's quite a bit to read.

Following up a classic album is always a difficult endeavor. Certainly to do so when that album was revolutionary and influential is even harder. Our natural tendency as listeners and amateur critics is to compare albums to each other, particularly those that are relatively contemporary to each other. Such is the case with Ornette Coleman's "Change of the Century", followup to "The Shape of Jazz to Come". Released just five months later, it finds Coleman's quartet (the leader on alto sax, Don Cherry on cornet, Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums) in full flight-- more comfortable as a unit, in some ways, the performance is tighter and better than "The Shape of Jazz to Come", but as a result of this, in some ways it seems to lack the urgency and immediacy of the album it followed.

Still, lacking immediacy doesn't make a bad album, and there's plenty of good material on here-- the fractured title track largely represents everything critics of Coleman have to say about him-- its disjoint theme and following solos are unpredictable, even on repeated listens, and manage somehow to be stunning each time, no dobut due to the sympathetic playing of Haden and Higgins. Likewise, on "Una Muy Bonita" and "The Face of the Bass"-- the two of them strike a delicate mix between free association with the soloist and swing that keeps things together and coherent. And check out Cherry and Haden together on "Ramblin'"-- clearly the two of them have developed an unusual rapport that they can utilize to great effect.

All in all, "Change of the Century" a good followup to "The Shape of Jazz To Come"-- not quite the masterpiece that album is, but a worthwhile listen. Recommended.

This CD was a purchased on a recommendation many years ago, and it has taken me a good deal of that time to learn to appreciate the genius of Ornette Coleman. Ramblin' is a wonderful opener. Face the Bass, Una Muy Bonita, and Bird Food are all compelling stuff. For intiates to Coleman and Don Cherry's Free Jazz movement, this album is certainly easier to understand than later work, and gives a reasonable introduction to what can be an acquired taste.

I origionally bought this record along with "Shape of Jazz to Come" in 1981. It would be stating the obvious to say these are classics. Surely, everyone who has experienced the joy, humor, and meloncholy inherent in this music, has come to the same conclusion. I continue to be struck by the telepathic-like interplay between members of the group. I feel like I owe each of them a debt of graditude for expanding my musical universe. This music is beautiful and a gracious gift from four masters of thier craft. You really should buy it.

First time I heard Ornette Coleman, I was in the downtown Miami record store called Capitol Records (not affiliated with the label) in 1970. I was looking around at the rock albums, looking to perhaps purchase Led Zeppelin III when someone put Change of the Century on the store's stereo system. At that moment, my life changed. You see, I had a few jazz albums in my collection at this time (Wes Montgomery's A Day in the Life and Road Song, Kenny Burrell's Blues the Common Ground, orchestrated A&M and Verve stuff like that) but never in my life had I heard walking bass like THIS! I mean, the BASS PLAYING hit me like a ton of bricks, virually levitating me to the ceiling of this store! They were playing "Ramblin'" and I didn't hear, or I should say, didn't pay attention to any saxophone or trumpet, all I could hear was this sublime, moving, leather-lunged, rich and soulful catgut-strung walking bass and, also, the amazing drummer, who didn't play drums like anyone I had heard before this revelation. I was floating, levitating, transported to another world. There was dancing in my head, if you will. I mean, this bassist and drummer absolutely SHATTERED my 16-year-old soul into a million pieces. I ran up to the clerk and told him I wanted to purchase whatever album he was spinning on the turntable. I had never heard of Ornette--I was just getting into jazz--but, forget Led Zep, this was the album I wanted.

When I found out the price was like, a dollar above list, however ($5.98, a lot for an album in 1970), I left the store dejected. I just didn't have that much money to spend on an album. I repaired to the 5-story Walgreens on Flagler Street. Sitting at the lunch counter devouring a grilled cheese and Coke, I noticed the record department (yes, this Walgreens actually had a record department, not to mention a cafeteria, back then)along the way, and the album at the front of the discount rack was--yes!--Change of the Century! For $1.77! My lucky day!

I've been listening to this album now for 40 years. I STILL haven't heard a bassist who swings as hard, with such a refined yet savage sense of rhythm and full, rich tone as Charlie Haden. I love Ornette's alto playing, but for me the best part of this group are, in order, (1) Charlie Haden's sublime, other-worldly bass playing, (2) Billy Higgins' unique touch on drums, light yet heavy in a distinctive way (3) Ornette's refreshing and utterly unique compositions, which are like nothing else and (4) Ornette's alto playing. Don Cherry? Who dat? That's my order or preference, anyway.

To me, it's the rhythm section that made this quartet the classic combo it was. And this was the last album that Coleman would make with this particular rhythm section (at least until decades later with "In All Languages"). As good as musicians like Ed Blackwell and bassist Scott LaFaro were, Ornette's albums never sounded as good as when he had Haden and Higgins as his stellar rhythm section. And Charlie Haden is still the greatest on his instrument, and his playing is still levitating me to greater and greater heights.

As good as his first Atlantic album was, this 2nd album with the same personnel is maybe Ornette's best for that label. One reason is that the writing and playing is even better that the first outing. Tunes like "Una Muy Bonita" or "The Face of the Bass" have that tunefulness that is reminscent of Monk. Also Billy Higgins is on board again and though I did like his replacement, Ed Blackwell on drums--I missed Billy's light as feather accompaniment behind Ornette. If you want an introduction to Ornette's music--start with this one.

I must admit I'm not very much experienced with free jazz; I listened to some Pharoah Sanders and to some of Miles Davis' experiments with this style ("Cookin' at plugged nickel" or something like that...). Well, I was moderatly impressed and moderately confused. I have also listened to some of the more recent jazz explorations by Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins, as well as some recordings by Art Ensemble of Chicago and Wayne Shorter's latest explorations that go beyond most traditional achievements,,,
It therefore seemed about time I went to the source...

First of all, I am impressed by the level of expressiveness of this music; it is no accident that Coleman's liner notes mention New Orleans jazz - some of his (but also Cherry's) solos have brought back some of the tonal features that started to disappear as early as the swing era...
I'm not an expert but I'm almost certain I heard Ornette produce some blue notes on his plastic instrument!

Naturally, New Orleans style is one of the styles in jazz in which collective improvisation was not so uncommon, so it is no wonder that, in the attempt to free jazz from Charlie Parker's magnificent shadow, Ornette at times went to the sources of jazz. In addition to that, the occasional "ethno" influences on this album (not only in the last song)are a continuation of the usual manners in which jazz musicians tried to infuse new ideas into their music; Ellington, Gillespie and others were particularly impressed by Latin America(s), there were even some Middle East experiments, but it was about time in the late 50's someone shows the influences of South Asia and other sources...

However, I must admit I still dig Ornette's explanations much more than I dig the music... This is fine jazz, with strong sense of swing and, at least occasionally, with fine drive, but all in all, I'm not hypocritical enough to hide my opinion that the band at times rambles a bit too much...

Also, keeping the format of innitial and concluding statement of...well...anti-melody at some songs also doesn't seem such a good idea . I think that much better, or at least "freer", is the approach on "Change of the Century"...

Perhaps if I devote more time to this style I would get used to it or discover more beauty, but as for now, 4 stars is the maximum I can give...
Even that is a bit far fetched, rewarding the courage and determination to follow original path (regardless of the number of followers)...