Average Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)


for real
this is stunning music. A great return from Ornette and company.
I love the rendition of Song X here especially. But all the new tracks are really good.
And just because that guys cd never came doesn't mean this is a bad cd. That guy needs to put the blame elsewhere. fo real.
Submitted by monty (breakfastville, USA)
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Ornette has never sounded better
Ornette Coleman has released his first new CD in a decade and it was well worth the wait! Hard to believe he was 75 years old in 2005 when this performance was recorded live in Germany. He could easily pass for a man of 30. His alto sax playing is bursting with ideas, as lyrical, bluesy, biting and exploratory as he has ever sounded.
Compared to his two previous discs of 1996, this new performance equals that on "Sound Museum" and surpasses that on "Colors".
Ornette's unusual quartet with two bass players and drums makes the performances especially exciting. One bass player plucks while the other mostly bows and they are in continuous interaction with each other and with Ornette's sax. Eric Dolphy's great album "Out There" had a similar line-up, with cello and bass alongside Dolphy's multiple reeds. But that album was more in the traditional bop vein of individual solos, while "Sound Grammar" features the whole band more-or-less soloing continuously.
The recording quality is very good, with each bass very clearly defined in the mix. The drums are at times mixed a little too far back, but this is a minor quibble.
There is a great variety of moods in these performances. "Sleep Walking" and "Waiting For You" are introspective and very moving as they build in intensity. Other pieces like "Jordan" and "Matador" are vibrant and loaded with fast intricate playing by the quartet. But no matter the mood, Ornette's alto sax leads the proceedings with his familiar Texan wail and expression of humanity. He has always played like someone engaged in everyday conversation, very down-to-earth compared to the more blatant spiritual seeking of someone like Coltrane. And Ornette is just as unique as Coltrane, or anyone else.
This CD must be the event of the season. Hopefully we won't have to wait another decade for Ornette's next new disc. How long can he go on playing this well? Has he found a fountain of youth? Whatever the case, "Sound Grammar" should be snatched up by jazz lovers everywhere.
Submitted by Jim (San Diego, CA)
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Maestro
Devastatingly hip.
Submitted by Haljones (Bar harbor, Maine)
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LOST?
My order has still not arrived!!!!!
Submitted by dr.e.kuypers (netherlands) 
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