Ornette Coleman - Beauty Is A Rare Thing, The Complete Atlantic Recordings [1993] (6 x CDs)

JAZZ SUNDAY

ORNETTE COLEMAN

Ornette Coleman - Beauty Is A Rare Thing, The Complete Atlantic Recordings [1993] (6 x CDs)

Ornette Coleman, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, born on March 9, 1930, was a renowned American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He was a key figure in the advent and development of free jazz during the late 1950s. His musical journey began with local R&B and bebop bands, eventually leading to the formation of his own ensemble in Los Angeles. Coleman’s innovative approach to structure and the intense emotional depth of his improvisations sparked widespread debate. His groundbreaking works often departed from the traditional jazz idioms, eschewing harmony-based composition, tonality, chord progressions, and fixed rhythm.

In 1993, a comprehensive box set named “Beauty Is A Rare Thing, The Complete Atlantic Recordings” was unveiled, encapsulating Coleman’s masterpieces recorded for Atlantic from 1959 to 1961. This anthology is a tribute to Coleman’s inventive approach to jazz, showcasing the material in the order it was recorded. It comprises tracks from all his six Atlantic albums, later compilations, and six never-before-released performances.

The music in this anthology traverses' genres like Hard Bop and Free Jazz. It provides a glimpse into the swift evolution of the Harmodelic principle and the speed at which Coleman’s mind was assimilating new concepts. Notable mention should be made of Don Cherry, whose solos often steal the show and are sometimes electrifying.

Thom Jurek’s review on AllMusic declares this box set as one of the most essential jazz CD purchases, alongside John Coltrane’s Atlantic set and the Miles and Coltrane box. This anthology is an excellent medium to experience the extraordinary sounds of Coleman and his band, who revolutionized the way jazz was played in the late '50s and early '60s.

“Beauty Is A Rare Thing, The Complete Atlantic Recordings" is an exploration into the mind of one of jazz’s most inventive and contentious figures. It stands as a testament to Coleman’s brilliance and his steadfast dedication to redefining the boundaries of jazz. This anthology provides a thorough insight into a crucial phase in Coleman’s career and the evolution of jazz as a genre. Indeed, it is a rare beauty. (B)

===========================================================

ALL 

or

ALL 

===========================================================

Track lists

CD01

01 Ornette Coleman - Focus On Sanity 6:51

02 Ornette Coleman - Chronology 6:03

03 Ornette Coleman - Peace 9:04

04 Ornette Coleman - Congeniality 6:47

05 Ornette Coleman - Lonely Woman 4:59

06 Ornette Coleman - Monk And The Nun 5:52

07 Ornette Coleman - Just For You 3:53

08 Ornette Coleman - Eventually 4:23

09 Ornette Coleman - Una Muy Bonita 6:02

10 Ornette Coleman - Bird Food 5:31

11 Ornette Coleman - Change Of The Century 4:44

12 Ornette Coleman - Music Always 5:31

CD02

01 Ornette Coleman - The Face Of The Bass 6:57

02 Ornette Coleman - Forerunner 5:15

03 Ornette Coleman - Free 6:19

04 Ornette Coleman - The Circle With A Hole In The Middle 4:53

05 Ornette Coleman - Ramblin' 6:36

06 Ornette Coleman - Little Symphony 5:14

07 Ornette Coleman - The Tribes Of New York 4:34

08 Ornette Coleman - Kaleidoscope 6:36

09 Ornette Coleman - Rise And Shine 6:10

10 Ornette Coleman - Mr. And Mrs. People 4:42

11 Ornette Coleman - P.S. Unless One Has (Blues Connotation) 5:17

12 Ornette Coleman - I Heard It Over The Radio 6:23

CD03

01 Ornette Coleman - P.S. Unless One Has (Blues Connotation No. 2) 5:51

02 Ornette Coleman - Revolving Doors 4:28

03 Ornette Coleman - Brings Goodness 6:39

04 Ornette Coleman - Joy Of A Toy 4:56

05 Ornette Coleman - To Us 4:36

06 Ornette Coleman - Humpty Dumpty 5:24

07 Ornette Coleman - The Fifth Of Beethoven 6:37

08 Ornette Coleman - Motive For Its Use 5:41

09 Ornette Coleman - Moon Inhabitants 4:32

10 Ornette Coleman - The Legend Of Bebop 7:18

11 Ornette Coleman - Some Other 7:23

12 Ornette Coleman - Embraceable You 4:54

13 Ornette Coleman - All 4:30

CD04

01 Ornette Coleman - Folk Tale 4:48

02 Ornette Coleman - Poise 4:38

03 Ornette Coleman - Beauty Is A Rare Thing 7:14

04 Ornette Coleman - First Take 16:56

05 Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz (Pts. 1 & 2) 37:03

CD05

01 Ornette Coleman - Proof Readers 10:27

02 Ornette Coleman - W.R.U. 16:27

03 Ornette Coleman - Check Up 10:08

04 Ornette Coleman - T & T 4:38

05 Ornette Coleman - C. & D. 13:12

06 Ornette Coleman - R.P.D.D. 9:40

07 Ornette Coleman - The Alchemy Of Scott Lafaro 9:49

CD06

01 Ornette Coleman - Eos 6:35

02 Ornette Coleman - Enfant 6:26

03 Ornette Coleman - Ecars 7:35

04 Ornette Coleman - Cross Breeding 11:17

05 Ornette Coleman - Harlem's Manhattan 8:11

06 Ornette Coleman - Mapa 9:06

07 Ornette Coleman - Abstraction 4:10

08 Ornette Coleman - Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross) 15:22

=============================================================

=============================================================