"The Shape of Jazz to Come" – Ornette Coleman
3/9/202650 min
Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959) may be the most controversial album in jazz history, and one of the most important.
In 1959, a broke musician from Fort Worth, Texas arrived in New York City with a plastic saxophone and a band that didn't play by the rules. And EVERYONE had an opinion about it.
Jazz legends hated it. Miles Davis said Ornette was "all screwed up inside." Max Roach punched him in the mouth. Dizzy Gillespie said Ornette's music wasn't even jazz. Meanwhile, Leonard Berstein and John Coltrane celebrated him.
So...
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAdam Maness· Host0:01
[jazz music] Miles Davis thought he was crazy. Dizzy Gillespie said that he had no idea what this music was, but it wasn't jazz. And Max Roach once followed him out of the Five Spot and punched him in the face. Ornette Coleman, he was divisive, he was revolutionary. In 1959, he packed the Five Spot in downtown Manhattan with musical royalty clamoring to hear sounds unlike anything they'd heard before, the music that would define The Shape of Jazz to Come. [jazz music] I'm Adam Maness.
Peter Martin· Host1:05
And I'm Peter Martin.
Adam Maness· Host1:06
And you're listening to the You'll Hear It podcast.
Peter Martin· Host1:08
Music Explored.
Adam Maness· Host1:09
Explored, brought to you today by Open Studio. Go to openstudiojazz.com for [howls] Oh, Dobio.
Peter Martin· Host1:17
[howls] Up. [howls] Up.
Adam Maness· Host1:20
All of your jazz lesson needs.
Peter Martin· Host1:22
Save it.
Adam Maness· Host1:22
I'm trying to be fresh, Peter, because this album we're listening to today inspired new sounds. I thought I would make some new sounds.
Peter Martin· Host1:27
That's right. That's right. 1959's The Shape of