Impressive creative and technical expertise from this double quartet session, two simultaneous rhythm sections one for each stereo channel, featuring names like Scott LaFaro, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard and Charlie Haden! Mind blowing sound and audiophile spectacular remastered by Bernie Grundman from Original Master Tapes and pressed at Pallas Germany on 180gr audiophile vinyl. Total Freedom!

Featured in Vinyl Gourmet Audiophile TOP 100

"Jazz's first extended, continuous free improvisation LP... A staggering achievement." - All Music, Rated 5/5 Stars

• 45rpm 180 grams Audiophile Grade Vinyl
• Double LP pressed at Pallas Germany
• Mastered from Original Analog tapes
• Mastered by Bernie Grundman
• Gatefold Cover

Starting with the premise that Free Jazz, after the briefest of direction, devolves into an eight-part improvisation with all parts equally independent, observations may be noted. While nature, when left to her own devices, typically migrates from a state of order to greater disorder, the musical synthesis on Free Jazz tends to go into the opposite direction: from a greater disorder to order. "Free Jazz" begins as a schizophrenic note salad, borne in chaos and given only a whiff of direction. The music may best be described as the best New Orleans Dixieland exposed and mutated by radiation exposure. It is the phenomenon where the music, at first blush, sounds completely untethered, at least until ideas begin to coalesce.

Once the piece is started in earnest, certain characteristics begin to manifest. Among these is Coleman's experiences playing blues. It saturates his playing and is present throughout the piece. Cherry's and by proxy, Hubbard's hard bop bona fides reveal themselves potently. From an ensemble point of view there is a migration through evolution, where the elements of swing can be heard in call-and-response phrasing and some natural Count Basie big band riffing emerges naturally among the horns. Also revealed is the innate sense of humor of the musicians, heard in the quotes of nursery rhymes and other jazz pieces.

Musicians:

Ornette Coleman, alto saxophone
Don Cherry, pocket trumpet
Scott LaFaro, bass
Billy Higgins, drums
Eric Dolphy, bass clarinet
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet
Charlie Haden, bass
Ed Blackwell, drums

Track Listing:

Side A Free Jazz (Part 1) 10:18
Side B Free Jazz (Part 2) 9:35
Side C Free Jazz (Part 3) 8:47
Side D Free Jazz (Part 4) 8:49

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫