Customer Reviews

Ornette Coleman: His Life and Music

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Paving the way for some of the later innovative saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, and others, Ornette Coleman was perhaps the pivotal man on his instrument in the '60's. Wilson's excellent new book brings his music before the reader in a clear, intelligent manner, offering a very accessible account of how Coleman's music works, how it achieves the effects it does, how he altered the rich tradition he had inherited. Perhaps most intriguing is the account of the considerable hostility Coleman originally met with from many critics, and Wilson's attempts to put the differing views into their respective contexts. Coleman's biography is equally fascinating, a unique life which resonates strongly with those intrigued by the idealism associated with the '60's. The second half of the book consists of 2-page reviews of Coleman's entire corpus of recordings, the most valuable section for this reader, allowing fans to navigate Coleman's 40 years of innovations.

This is a great little book on Coleman. I wish the bio section at the beginning was more detailed (it states that a more representative bio has been written though it appears to be out of print). The section on Coleman's Harmolodic system was very interesting and written in a way that someone with limited knowledge of music theory (i.e. me) could comprehend. The write ups regarding all of Coleman's recordings were fascinating. Where many writers praise everything their subject touches, here the praise and criticism seems to be very objective. Sometimes writers show a preference for either Coleman's acoustic quartet or the electric Prime Time group but Wilson handles each on its own merits.

Recommended!

Simply wonderful. I enjoyed every page of this book and could not wait for the next. Being a huge fan of Ornette's, this was the first attempt of approaching literature based upon him. Forever waiting for his yet to be published (and probably written) book of Harmolodics, I could wait anymore and this book ensured me I shouldn't have.

not only is Ornette Coleman a Musical Genius but this Book captures his Full Essence.his Music Career is Incredible.he broke alot of Ground.his Music&Timeless.this is a Must Read on one Of The Greatest Musicians Ever.