- Audio CD (29 May 1995)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Rhino
- ASIN: B000002JMB
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 153,109 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. The Circle With A Hole In The Middle |
| 2. Just For You |
| 3. The Fifth Of Beethoven |
| 4. The Alchemy Of Scott La Faro |
| 5. Moon Inhabitants |
| 6. The Legend Of Bebop |
| 7. Harlem's Manhattan |
| 8. Music Always |
| 9. Brings Goodness |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This was the first Ornette Coleman album I bought some 35 years ago; it was my introduction to his music and is still the one I play most often.
These tracks aren't flawed or alternative versions, they most likely were kept back from release because of the restrictions of the LP format and are from the same sessions that produced Coleman's most important recordings of the period 1959-61, featuring top-drawer performances from all concerned. There is some excellent playing to be heard here together with compositions that deserve to be better known, like the marvellously funky blues "The Legend of Bebop" and the beautiful, affecting ballad "Just For You". You can never have too much of these musicians; the bass-work of Haden and La Faro is superb, the ensemble work and inventiveness of Coleman and Cherry is always astonishing and there is a track held over from the "Ornette On Tenor" session, "Harlem's Manhattan" - I don`t think Coleman ever recorded with the big horn after this date so this is a nice addition to the original release.
There are also two additional tracks that did not appear on the original LP; "Music Always" from `59 and "Brings Goodness" from `60 - these aren't mentioned in the Amazon listing above; note the "contains bonus tracks" printed on the cover illustration - the UK release certainly has these; go to the download store to hear samples of all the tracks. Total playing time is just over 57 mins.
I can`t recommend this disc highly enough; it is richly rewarding with every listening; if you know Coleman's music you'll need no persuading; if you don`t - start here, I did!
These tracks aren't flawed or alternative versions, they most likely were kept back from release because of the restrictions of the LP format and are from the same sessions that produced Coleman's most important recordings of the period 1959-61, featuring top-drawer performances from all concerned. There is some excellent playing to be heard here together with compositions that deserve to be better known, like the marvellously funky blues "The Legend of Bebop" and the beautiful, affecting ballad "Just For You". You can never have too much of these musicians; the bass-work of Haden and La Faro is superb, the ensemble work and inventiveness of Coleman and Cherry is always astonishing and there is a track held over from the "Ornette On Tenor" session, "Harlem's Manhattan" - I don`t think Coleman ever recorded with the big horn after this date so this is a nice addition to the original release.
There are also two additional tracks that did not appear on the original LP; "Music Always" from `59 and "Brings Goodness" from `60 - these aren't mentioned in the Amazon listing above; note the "contains bonus tracks" printed on the cover illustration - the UK release certainly has these; go to the download store to hear samples of all the tracks. Total playing time is just over 57 mins.
I can`t recommend this disc highly enough; it is richly rewarding with every listening; if you know Coleman's music you'll need no persuading; if you don`t - start here, I did!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This overlooked CD includes tracks from various Ornette Coleman ATLANTIC sessions recorded between 1959 & 1961. Collective personnel is: Ornette Coleman(alto sax, tenor sax); Don Cherry(cornet, trumpet, pocket trumpet); Charlie Haden, Jimmy Garrison or Scott La Faro(bass); Ed Blackwell or Billy Higgins(drums).
Highlights include the beautiful ballad 'Just For You' and the intriguing 'The Legend of Bebop'. There are two bonus tracks 'Music Always' & 'Brings Goodness' which first appeared in Japan as part of the ATLANTIC LP 'Ornette Coleman: To Whom Who Keeps A Record'.
'The Art of the Improvisers' is a vibrant and varied album which stands comparison with Ornette's ATLANTIC classics such as 'The Shape of Jazz to Come' & 'This Is Our Music' and makes an ideal introduction to his music.
Highlights include the beautiful ballad 'Just For You' and the intriguing 'The Legend of Bebop'. There are two bonus tracks 'Music Always' & 'Brings Goodness' which first appeared in Japan as part of the ATLANTIC LP 'Ornette Coleman: To Whom Who Keeps A Record'.
'The Art of the Improvisers' is a vibrant and varied album which stands comparison with Ornette's ATLANTIC classics such as 'The Shape of Jazz to Come' & 'This Is Our Music' and makes an ideal introduction to his music.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Worthwhile leftovers.
1 Sep 2005
Format:Audio CD
Ornette coleman's tenure on Atlantic produced six studio albums released while he was signed to the label, but he was so prolific that three more albums worth of tracks were released after he left the label, and when his music was put into a boxed set ("Beauty is a Rare Thing"), another half dozen performances never before released were included. Still, as one would suspect, there's some quality issues with these "leftovers". Or at least, there are with the ones found in other places, "The Art of Improvisers" features material that is essential to Coleman's catalog.
Taking material from the first session he did with Atlantic to the last, this in many ways represents Coleman's music better than anything else. From breakneck performances with totally stunning virtuosity ("The Alchemy of Scott LaFaro" featuring the bassist and drummer Ed Blackwell in stunning fashion beneath a furious solo from Coleman) to balladry (the beautiful "Just For You", later rerecorded on "Love Call" and featuring some of Coleman's trademark humanistic cries) to just fantastic ("The Circle With the Hole in the Middle"). It doesn't hang together quite as cohesively as some of his albums that were drawn from one period, primarily because of the inconsistent performers, but there's an awful lot of good on here.
I think this album is often overlooked because it is a collection of leftovers, but these are god ones, it's not "The Shape of Jazz to Come", but its really quite good. Recommended.
Taking material from the first session he did with Atlantic to the last, this in many ways represents Coleman's music better than anything else. From breakneck performances with totally stunning virtuosity ("The Alchemy of Scott LaFaro" featuring the bassist and drummer Ed Blackwell in stunning fashion beneath a furious solo from Coleman) to balladry (the beautiful "Just For You", later rerecorded on "Love Call" and featuring some of Coleman's trademark humanistic cries) to just fantastic ("The Circle With the Hole in the Middle"). It doesn't hang together quite as cohesively as some of his albums that were drawn from one period, primarily because of the inconsistent performers, but there's an awful lot of good on here.
I think this album is often overlooked because it is a collection of leftovers, but these are god ones, it's not "The Shape of Jazz to Come", but its really quite good. Recommended.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Excellent
17 Jan 2000
Format:Audio CD
I truly enjoy this CD, along with "Shape" and "Change", even more than "Free Jazz" which I find I have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to. There are some really beautiful compositions on this CD as well as the usual share of avant-garde (for the time) noodlings. If you are new to Coleman, get "Shape of Jazz to Come" and "Change of the Century" first. If you like them, then you will enjoy this one too.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Ornette's Planet
15 July 2001
Format:Audio CD
Music from the rare air of another planet. Some may have walked away from early John Coltrane while he grabbed for the future with both hands, lighting a match to a can of gasoline and ripping notes from some place or space. But not so of Ornette Coleman. His sublime attack just can't be ignored. And try walking away as some moderns pretend to do...you can't leave the room until it's over. "The Art of the Improvisers" is probably Coleman's best, something I just discovered recently...those notes from his and Don Cherry's horn won't let you go.
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