The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet

Innovative Jazz Ensemble

Ornette Coleman was an innovative American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s, which was characterized by performances that departed from traditional jazz harmony and structure. Coleman's approach to music was highly improvisational and often controversial among both audiences and fellow musicians. His 1960 album "Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation" featured the Ornette Coleman Double Quartet, which included two quartets playing simultaneously. This groundbreaking recording not only gave the free jazz movement its name but also showcased Coleman's pioneering use of collective improvisation and his rejection of predetermined chord changes. Throughout his career, Coleman continued to push musical boundaries and received numerous accolades, including a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2007 for his album "Sound Grammar."