It all seems so innocent now, but back in 1958, alto saxist Ornette Coleman created a tectonic musical shift with his two debut albums on the Contemporary jazz label. First there was Something Else!!! And then the 1959 followup Tomorrow Is The Question.Sounding almost quaint and traditional by today’s standards, these two albums changed the entire paradigm of modern jazz, introducing modern ears to what became known as “free jazz”.
In retrospect, the ’58 album with Billy Higgins/dr, Walter N orris/p, Don Payne/b and Don Cherry/tp (with Coleman on his famed plastic alto sax) seems simply an extension of bebop. Well, Coleman was accused of sounding out of tune, but the tradition is still felt on p ieces like “Chippie” and “The Disguise” with “The Blessing and “ Jayne” being drenched in traditional blues. The subsequent release is even less of a slap in the face, as West Coast boppers Shelly Manne/dr, Red Mitchell/b and Percy Heath/b team up with Cherry and Coleman. Cherry almost steals the show on the tricky tempo of “ Tears Inside” and fairly free “Giggin’” while Manne swings it to a gospel groove on “Endless”. Coleman’s alto is bright, but actually mellow in comparison to today’s artists, with solos on “Rejoicing” and “Compassion” sounding more steeped in tradition than boldly going forward where no m an has gone before. What was the fuss all about again?