Fischman
RockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMaster
Gender: Male
Location: Land of Enchantment
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- #4
- Posted: 05/16/2021 13:59
- Post subject:
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From my jazz diary:
Yes, to the ear birthed and raised in clean tonality and regular rhythm, this album would be quite a shock, as it was to me the first time I heard it. I have listened to it numerous times, each time with a different focus; trying to grasp the historical significance, trying to "get" the musical message, trying to find the melody in the seeming randomness, and even just trying to relax and enjoy it independent of any other considerations. For this diary, I tried to focus on following the musical argument being presented; I believe for the first time I really came to grips with the album.... and as a result, did indeed enjoy it. It actually helped a great deal having heard so much more music in the interim that was far more avant-garde and random sounding, such that this now seemed almost unremarkable in that regard, and the melodies were actually quite apparent, easier to follow, and actually pleasant to listen to at times. It's still not something I'd want to listen to every day, and when I do, I might skip a cut or two, but it is gonna' get some more air time.
The opener, "Lonely Woman," which seems perfectly titled according to the mood presented, does a good job of breaking the listener into this new way of musical thinking. It's new without being too off-putting. However, cut two, "Eventually," runs much further afield. After a brief and surprisingly traditional intro, this one becomes a little problematic for me as the potentially negative affect of the free roaming is exacerbated by the random goose honking sounds I often associate with avant garde jazz sax, especially alto. That particular instrument just seems to lend itself to great challenge in my ear when departing from traditional melody. This is confirmed when Coleman turns the stage over to cornetist Don Cherry, who's solo is equally free, but settles nicely into my ear.
Just in case "Eventually" turns out to be too much, the third cut, "Peace," is much more user friendly, and indeed, actually quite peaceful, as if welcoming the distressed listener back home. In another interesting twist, Coleman's solo on "Congeniality" is as free, and exposed, as ever, but is reasonably easy to follow, and even settle into a groove with; one could actually say it is "congenial" in its challenge. Pretty cool, I'd say.
One of the most amazing things about this record is how at the time, given the explosively new nature of the music, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins were able to hold this thing together
Many critics would say that bold title, "The Shape of Jazz to Come," was no hyperbole, no exaggeration, as this album pointed the way to the future. However, hard bop would continue to dominate jazz for at least another half decade, then giving way to post-bop, fusion, jazz-funk, and contemporary jazz. While this album certainly opened the door for artists to break free of the traditional boundaries of jazz, or music in general for that matter, avant garde and free jazz never became the dominant form of the genre, so the title is a bit of an overstatement. But what it did do, rather than change a single direction of jazz, was to provide additional avenues of expression. In that regard, this album is all it's purported to be.
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