What have I learned from Ornette Coleman?

“The pattern for the tune will be forgotten, and the tune itself will be the pattern.”
-Ornette Coleman (from Ornette Coleman, A Harmolodic Life)

To me, there are certain musicians who deserve specific attention… who require deliberate study.  — The controversial, the innovative and the revolutionary — If we made a “Mount Rushmore” of jazz icons, these would be the faces carved in stone: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bird/Dizzy/Monk/Bud, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and certainly Ornette Coleman. Each one made their place by breaking away from previously established conventions and each one providing us with a lifetime of lessons. Despite furious criticism about his unorthodox music & appearance, Ornette pushed forward with deliberate force, making his own way.

What I have learned from Ornette Coleman?

• Never forget the blues/swing.
• Always be yourself & be relentless in pursuing your vision.
• The most gentle souls are sometimes the most ferocious artists.
• Exploring music is also exploring yourself.
• Honor your influences without neglecting your voice.
• Melody is king.
• Different shouldn’t be threatening.
• Tell a story.
• We create our own boundaries and our own categories, which only hold us back.
• Search. Find your path, and follow it.
• Use music as a conduit to the discovery of one’s self.
• Harmony can be self-created.
• It’s ok to be playful, humor in music is a wonderful thing.
• Simplicity is difficult, but the goal.

“We’ve all gained from Ornette’s life and explorations.”
-Sonny Rollins