Ornette Coleman Trio - At The Golden Circle Stockholm Vol. 2 (US Blue Note with Japanese Obi)

One of the most important documents of free jazz, At The Golden Circle Stockholm Volume Two captures Ornette Coleman's revolutionary trio in concert at Stockholm's Golden Circle club in December 1965. This remarkable copy represents a fascinating hybrid: an original US Blue Note pressing (circa 1973) distributed by Toshiba Musical Industries for the Japanese market, complete with Japanese obi strip marked "direct import" and remarkably still in its original shrink wrap with the obi outside the wrap.

By 1965, Coleman had already fundamentally altered the course of jazz with his concept of "harmolodics" and his abandonment of predetermined chord changes in favour of collective improvisation guided by melody and emotion. This trio, featuring the sympathetic and adventurous bassist David Izenzon and drummer Charles Moffett, represented Coleman's working group during this period, and their musical telepathy is evident throughout these live performances.

The four tracks showcase Coleman's multi-instrumental approach and compositional range. "Snowflakes And Sunshine" opens with Coleman on violin and trumpet, demonstrating his commitment to approaching all instruments with fresh ears, unencumbered by traditional technique. "Morning Song", "The Riddle", and "Antiques" feature his alto saxophone, the instrument on which his voice is most fully developed. His playing here is both lyrical and explosive, tender and confrontational, always singing a deeply personal blues inflected with harmonic freedom that was still shocking to many listeners in 1965.

Izenzon's bass playing deserves special mention. Rather than simply walking time or providing roots, he engages in genuine three-way conversation, sometimes mirroring Coleman's melodic ideas, sometimes providing rhythmic propulsion, and sometimes venturing into entirely independent territory. Moffett's drumming is equally liberated, responding to the moment rather than maintaining rigid timekeeping, yet always propelling the music forward with energy and purpose.

This US pressing with Japanese distribution represents an unusual collecting opportunity: the sonic quality of an original US Blue Note pressing combined with the presentation elements that make Japanese jazz releases so appealing to collectors.