Ornette Coleman Blue Note 4026 The Empty Foxhole (1966)

1966's The Empty Foxhole from avant garde alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman is an oddity in the Coleman lexicon.

Dismissed by some as an album reliant on a gimmick, You see? Ornette's then 10 year old son Denardo makes his debut on drums on The Empty Foxhole.

Since I don't consider myself a music theory expert or a drums guru, though I know enough to know that Buddy Rich and Tony Williams were probably the most technically gifted drummers who ever lived.

 Williams Changed the way drums were used in jazz before he was even 21 years old.

Denardo is certainly no Tony Williams, but he is not an embarrassment at all. To be frank, you don't really notice him that much, which isn't bad at all, I suspect if I had noticed it would be a negative.

Update:

Going back for a "focus on the drums" second listen, it is apparent that these negative criticisms are not well founded about the drummer.

Ornette's son plays beyond his years and while not a standout, "except that he is 10 years old here" I don't think this detracts from the music at all.

Ornette also plays some sparse violin and trumpet, the latter instrument is the most fulfilling, as Ornette sounds like Miles Davis or Maybe more properly Chet Baker with his brittle vulnerable tone.

 Coleman actually sounds very interesting if not remarkable on the title track ballad, for some reason the theme reminds me of  the Joe Zawinul penned "In a Silent Way".

The free blowing "Freeway Express" is also an interesting workout with Bassist Charlie Haden and Ornette again on trumpet playing some very manic music.

Coleman seems to be pretty comfortable on the trumpet here, actually sounds pretty confident, and does indeed remind me of Miles A little.

I am a sucker for these free jazz meets hard bop style chamber jazz sessions. Tony Williams had a few like this for Blue Note "Spring" comes to mind, Dolphy's "Out to Lunch" being the mother of all of these types of albums.

The Empty Foxhole isn't perfect "and that's a good thing", if you like avant-garde chamber jazz, and like Ornette Coleman's interesting child like melodies, you will like this music. it has turned into one of my favorites from Ornette Coleman.

This particular copy of the Empty Foxhole was a Liberty Address Label Stereo copy, I am not sure if a New York USA label was made?

I believe this record was pressed only with this Liberty label address but I could be wrong. either way I only paid around 20 bucks for it, actually a CD would have cost me 2 or 3 times that, and sonically this record sounded very good, with a lot of life.

Image Credit:
Taken by the author
From my own collection.

Jackie McLean: New and Old Gospel (1967)

Jackie Mclean's New and Old Gospel is one of those rare late 60's Blue Notes that wasn't considered a pay day.

The album from 1967 is also a bit of a cult item as far as avant-garde jazz albums go. Ornette Coleman, who rarely ever appeared as a side man, appears on this McLean album on trumpet no less.

I remember the first time I heard New and Old Gospel, I believe it was the Rudy Van Gelder edition CD.

I was immediately taken a back at how amateurish Coleman sounded, he's embarrassing himself I thought.

Back then "maybe 10 years or more ago" I just didn't have enough of a reference point to appreciate all styles of modern jazz, avant-garde jazz especially. Of course all these years later, Coleman's playing makes perfect sense to me, especially in coordination with McLean's Alto style.

Yes I know he still sounds inferior to McLean on the less familiar trumpet, but I'll be damned if that sound doesn't compliment McLean perfectly.

It also doesn't hurt knowing it's Ornette and not some dude of the streets. One thing about Ornette Coleman and Jackie McLean, they sure do like a primitive country blues sound.

 No matter how free or avant-garde they get, they always seem to sound bluesy, Albert Ayler was this way too. The basic root music is always deep inside them, they can't escape it.

My favorite track is the title track. Believe me, if you don't get serious spine chills on McLean's solo you might be heartless.

The rest of New and Old Gospel is very avant-garde in a Mid 60's McLean sort of way, his patented inside outside free bop approach.