Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
sympathetic, folkloric free jazzwith a twist., July 13, 1998
By A Customer
This 1979 album contains one of the most beautiful readings of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" as well as original songs from the members Cherry, Haden,Redman and Blackwell. The range of music runs from free to atmospheric, with an incredible amount of interplay between the instruments. Typically ECM ish, this album, when paired with the 1980 live set "Playing" makes up some of the strongest material and intelligent soloing in the last 20 years. With the deaths of Blackwell and Cherry in the last few years, it makes Old and New Dreams a band that will be greatly missed. But with recordings like this one, their voices will heard forever. If you like Ornette, you will LOVE this recording.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This isn't the one you think it is., December 30, 2004
While the icon provided by Amazon shows the correct cover art, the song line up presented here is actually for the group's first record. Scroll up to the other listing for the CD "Old and New Dreams" to get the actual song listings. Additionally, this is a studio recording, so while it may be "live," it was not recorded in concert. The live CDs are "Playing" and the "Tribute to Blackwell."
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4.0 out of 5 stars
The Ornette Coleman Tribute Band does World Music, September 12, 2001
The Old and New Dreams Band could be regarded as Ornette's classic quartet with Dewey Redman standing in for Ornette, or, since Redman later played with Coleman, the Ornette Coleman quintet without Ornette. The disk starts out with an extended and compelling performance of the classic "Lonely Woman" on which bass player Charlie Haden really shines. This is followed by two African-influenced originals, "Togo" by drummer Ed Blackwell, and "Guinea" by trumpeter/pianist Don Cherry. The disk loses steam after these first three tracks. Its back to Ornette for "Open or Close," followed by Redman's "Orbit of La-Ba" on which he wails like a muezzin on the musette. The disk concludes with Haden's "Song for the Whales," "written with respect for all species of whales, in the hope that they will soon be protected by international law." Well, Charlie got his wish fulfilled, though one can argue about just how effective the International Whaling Convention actually is. I once read somewhere that the song of the humpback whale spans eight octaves. From the way this track sounds, Mr. Haden's bass can span eight octaves, though, having demonstrated that, I am not sure how many listeners would want to hear it done repeatedly. As another reviewer observed, with the deaths of Blackwell and Cherry, we are never going to have the opportunity to hear this band again. Only more reason to treasure their recorded output.
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by Charlie Haden 
