Beauty Is a Rare Thing
Encyclopedia
Beauty Is a Rare Thing is an compilation album collecting all recordings by the American jazz composer and saxophonist Ornette Coleman
made for the Atlantic
label between 1959 and 1961. The box set includes The Shape of Jazz to Come
(1959), Change of the Century
(1959), This Is Our Music
(1960), Free Jazz
(1961), Ornette!
(1961), Ornette on Tenor
(1962), The Art of the Improvisers
(1970) and Twins (1971) plus two tracks from Gunther Schuller
's Jazz Abstractions (1961) along with several previously unrelased performances.
's Atlantic set and the Miles and Coltrane box
, one of the most essential jazz CD purchases".
Disc One:
Disc Two:
Disc Three:
Disc Four:
Disc Five:
Disc Six:
Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
made for the Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
label between 1959 and 1961. The box set includes The Shape of Jazz to Come
The Shape of Jazz to Come
The Shape of Jazz to Come is an influential album by Ornette Coleman. It was his debut album for Atlantic Records who released it in late 1959....
(1959), Change of the Century
Change of the Century
Change of the Century is an album, recorded in 1959 and originally released in 1960, by jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman . This was Coleman's second Atlantic album and his fourth overall...
(1959), This Is Our Music
This Is Our Music (Ornette Coleman album)
This Is Our Music is a free jazz album by saxophonist Ornette Coleman, recorded in 1960 and originally released in 1961. It is especially notable as Coleman's only Atlantic recording to feature a standard – an unorthodox version of "Embraceable You" – and as the only album to feature...
(1960), Free Jazz
Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation
Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation is the sixth album by jazz saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman, recorded in 1960. Its title established the name of the then-nascent free jazz movement...
(1961), Ornette!
Ornette!
Ornette! is a free jazz album by alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman, recorded for the label Atlantic Records one month after the genre-defining Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation...
(1961), Ornette on Tenor
Ornette on Tenor
Ornette on Tenor is an album by the American jazz composer and saxophonist Ornette Coleman recorded in 1961 and released on the Atlantic label.-Reception:...
(1962), The Art of the Improvisers
The Art of the Improvisers
The Art of the Improvisers is an album by the American jazz composer and saxophonist Ornette Coleman featuring tracks recorded between 1959 and 1961 which was first released on the Atlantic label in 1970.-Reception:...
(1970) and Twins (1971) plus two tracks from Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
's Jazz Abstractions (1961) along with several previously unrelased performances.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 5 stars stating "this is, along with John ColtraneJohn Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
's Atlantic set and the Miles and Coltrane box
The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis with John Coltrane
The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis with John Coltrane is a box set by jazz musicians Miles Davis and John Coltrane. It is the first box set in a series of eight from Columbia/Legacy compiling Davis's work for Columbia Records...
, one of the most essential jazz CD purchases".
Track listing
- All compositions by Ornette Coleman except as indicated
Disc One:
- "Focus on Sanity" - 6:49
- "Chronology" - 6:04
- "Peace" - 9:02
- "Congeniality" - 6:44
- "Lonely Woman" - 4:57
- "Monk and the Nun" - 5:53
- "Just for You" - 3:51
- "Eventually" - 4:20
- "Una Muy Bonita" - 5:59
- "Bird Food" - 5:28
- "Change of the Century" - 4:41
- "Music Always" - 5:29
- Recorded in Los Angeles, California on May 22, 1959 (tracks 1-8) and in New York City on October 8, 1959 (tracks 9-12).
Disc Two:
- "The Face of the Bass" - 6:55
- "Forerunner" - 5:13
- "Free" - 6:20
- "The Circle With a Hole in the Middle" - 4:52
- "Ramblin'" - 6:35
- "Little Symphony" - 5:14
- "The Tribes of New York" - 4:33
- "Kaleidoscope" - 6:34
- "Rise and Shine" - 6:11
- "Mr. and Mrs. People" - 4:40
- "Blues Connotation" - 5:17
- "I Heard It Over the Radio" - 6:24
- Recorded in New York City on October 8 (track 1) and 9 (tracks 2-5), 1959 and July 19, 1960 (tracks 6-12)
Disc Three:
- "P.S. Unless One Has (Blues Connotation No. 2)" - 5:53
- "Revolving Doors" - 4:26
- "Brings Goodness" - 6:38
- "Joy of a Toy" - 4:55
- "To Us" - 4:32
- "Humpty Dumpty" - 5:21
- "The Fifth of Beethoven" - 6:37
- "Motive for Its Use" - 5:39
- "Moon Inhabitants" - 4:31
- "The Legend of Bebop" - 7:15
- "Some Other" - 7:20
- "Embraceable YouEmbraceable You"Embraceable You" is a popular song, with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. The song was originally written in 1928 for an unpublished operetta named East is West. It was eventually published in 1930 and included in the Broadway musical Girl Crazy. where it was performed by...
" (George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, Ira GershwinIra GershwinIra Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
) - 4:55 - "All" - 4:30
- Recorded in New York City on July 19 (tracks 1 & 2) and July 26 (tracks 3-13), 1960
Disc Four:
- "Folk Tale" - 4:47
- "Poise" - 4:37
- "Beauty Is a Rare Thing" - 7:13
- "First Take" - 17:03
- "Free Jazz" - 37:03
- Recorded in New York City on August 2 (tracks 1-3) and December 21 (tracks 4 & 5), 1960
Disc Five:
- "Proof Readers" - 10:25
- "W.R.U." - 16:24
- "Check Up" - 10:10
- "T. & T." - 4:35
- "C. & D." - 13:10
- "R.P.D.D." - 9:38
- "The Alchemy of Scott Lafaro" - 9:50
- Recorded in New York City on January 31, 1961
Disc Six:
- "Eos" - 6:35
- "Enfant" - 6:26
- "Ecars" - 7:35
- "Cross Breeding" - 11:17
- "Harlem's Manhattan" - 8:10
- "Mapa" - 9:05
- "Abstraction" (Gunther SchullerGunther SchullerGunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
) - 4:07 - "Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross)" (Schuller) - 15:22
- Recorded in New York City on December 20, 1960 (tracks 7 & 8), March 22 (track 1) and March 27 (tracks 2-6), 1961
Personnel
- Ornette ColemanOrnette ColemanOrnette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
- alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Don CherryDon Cherry (jazz)Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
- pocket trumpetPocket trumpetthumb|250px|Pocket trumpet in B-flat, with a 5-inch standard size bell and medium-large boreThe pocket trumpet is a compact size B trumpet, with the same playing range as the regular trumpet. The tubing is wound more tightly than that of a standard trumpet in order to reduce its size while... - Freddie HubbardFreddie HubbardFrederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
(Disc Four, tracks 4 & 5) - Eric DolphyEric DolphyEric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist, and bass clarinetist. On a few occasions he also played the clarinet and baritone saxophone. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s...
- alto saxophone, bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
(Disc Four, tracks 4 & 5 and Disc Six, track 8) - Alvin Brehm (Disc Six, track 7), George DuvivierGeorge DuvivierGeorge Duvivier was an American jazz double-bass player.Duvivier was born in New York City and took up the cello and also the violin while in high school before settling on the bass. He also learned composition and scoring before going out on the road with Lucky Millinder and then with the Cab...
(Disc Six, track 8), Jimmy GarrisonJimmy GarrisonJimmy Garrison was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.-Biography:...
(Disc Six, tracks 1-6), Charlie HadenCharlie HadenCharles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
(Discs One to Four), Scott LaFaroScott LaFaroRocco Scott LaFaro was an influential jazz bassist, perhaps best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio.-Biography:...
(Disc Four, tracks 4 & 5, Disc Five and Disc Six, tracks 7 & 8) - bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Ed BlackwellEd BlackwellEd Blackwell was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, known for his extensive work with Ornette Coleman....
(Discs Three to Five and Disc Six, tracks 1-6), Sticks Evans (Disc Six, tracks 7 & 8), Billy HigginsBilly HigginsBilly Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, beginning in 1958...
(Disc One and Two and Disc Four, tracks 4 & 5) - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Charles Libove, Roland Vamos - violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
(Disc 6, track 7 & 8) - Harry Zaratzian - violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
(Disc Six, tracks 7 & 8) - Joseph Tekula - celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
(Disc Six, tracks 7 & 8) - Jim HallJim Hall (musician)James Stanley Hall is an American jazz guitarist.-Biography:Educated at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Hall moved to Los Angeles where he began to attract national, and then international, attention in the late 1950s...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(Disc Six, tracks 7 & 8) - Robert DiDomenica - flute (Disc Six, track 8)
- Eddie CostaEddie CostaEddie Costa, , was an American jazz pianist and vibraphonist born in Atlas, Pennsylvania near Mount Carmel, PA in Northumberland County....
- vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
(Disc Six, track 8) - Bill EvansBill EvansWilliam John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(Disc Six, track 8) - Gunther SchullerGunther SchullerGunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
- arrangerArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
(Disc Six, tracks 7 & 8)