A LIVING JAZZ LEGEND

ORNETTE COLEMAN was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas.  March 9, 1930, is the date of his birth.  

Coleman, who is a saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer, was largely self-taught. He started out with the alto sax around 14 years of age, and that instrument has remained his main choice of musical expression.

Coleman has been credited with being the major innovator of free jazz. In the early 60s, Coleman and his sidekick, trumpeter Don Cherry, who both attended the School of Jazz, in Lenox, Massachusetts together, were subsequently signed to record with Atlantic records. One of their recordings was entitled, FREE JAZZ:  a collective improvisation.

FREE JAZZ  was 37 minutes of spontaneous improvisations by various musicians. To date, it remains the longest recorded continuous jazz performance by a group.  This recording is unique in that while one musician plays his solo, the other musicians are free to join in as they please.  The result is  a series of exceptional musical passages that make up the "collective" improvisations of the album's title. Free Jazz at once became a new music genre, and Coleman was thrust to the forefront as it's progenitor. 

More than any other musician, Coleman influenced others, including Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, to play in a free style.

In 1969, Coleman was inducted into the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame.

In 2005 , Coleman recorded a live album in Germany, entitled, Sound Grammar. This was his first album of new material in 10 years. He released the album in 2006.

In 2007,  Coleman was awarded the Pulitzer prize in music, for Sound Grammar. He also received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in jazz.

His legacy in the annals of jazz music continues. He is a giant in the field.   At the age of 85, ORNETTE COLEMAN  is a living JAZZ LEGEND.

To read the incredible details of his life and career Google-search his name.

To sample his discography, log on to wkcr.org where they are streaming the Ornette Coleman  Birthday Broadcast for 24 hours today.