Ornette Coleman - The Shape Of Jazz To Come (1971 Japanese Atlantic Stereo LP)

Vinyl: EX
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Obi: None

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Ornette Coleman - The Shape Of Jazz To Come Vinyl LP - 1971 Japanese Atlantic Jazz Age Series Stereo Reissue with Japanese Insert

Ornette Coleman's revolutionary 1959 album redefined jazz's possibilities, abandoning conventional chord changes in favour of collective improvisation guided by melody and emotion rather than harmonic structures. Recorded on 22 May 1959 with his quartet—cornetist Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Billy Higgins—this session sparked fierce debate while inspiring generations of musicians to explore beyond bebop's harmonic conventions. The six Coleman compositions, including the haunting "Lonely Woman" (featuring one of jazz's most memorable themes), demonstrate that freedom from chord changes didn't mean formlessness but rather new organisational principles based on melody, rhythm, and collective interaction. Released in Japan in September 1971 as part of Atlantic's Jazz Age series and manufactured by Warner Bros.-Pioneer Corporation, this stereo pressing includes Japanese liner notes insert.

Coleman's alto saxophone sound—crying, wailing, occasionally harsh—conveys emotion directly without bebop's virtuosic harmonic navigation, while Don Cherry's pocket cornet provides complementary voice with similarly vocal quality. The two horn players engage in conversations that sound both ancient (recalling early New Orleans polyphony) and utterly modern, their lines interweaving without harmonic constraints. Charlie Haden's bass work provides melodic and rhythmic foundation rather than conventional chord changes, while Billy Higgins' drumming swings intensely while supporting rather than directing the harmonic flow.

Beyond the famous "Lonely Woman", tracks like "Eventually", "Peace", and "Focus On Sanity" demonstrate Coleman's gift for memorable melodies that serve as springboards for exploration. His compositions possess folk-like simplicity that belies their radical harmonic implications.