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Alexander artiest Ornette Coleman



Ornette Coleman
"Alexander Reeds have the best vibrational qualities of any reed I've ever tried,
and they respond uniquely to the thickness of the lips that compel the vibration
of sound.
They are very stable, free the mouth of the moisture that normally builds
up....They're ready to go!
Alexander Reeds allow the tone to be closer to the sensitivity of the speed of
sound."
In the rich history of America's great orginal force of music, jazz, how many
players can be credited with not only creating a major impact on their own
instrument, but also to the art form as a whole? Without a doubt, the legendary
Ornette Coleman is one of these few.

Since the late 1950's, when he burst on the New York jazz scene with his
legendary engagement at the Five Spot, Coleman has been teaching the world
new ways of listening to music. His revolutionary musical ideas have been
controversial, but today his enormous contribution to modern music is
recognized throughout the world. Born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1930 he taught
himself to play the saxophone and the age of 14 had formed his own band

In 1958, with the release of his debut album Something Else, it was immediately
clear that Coleman had ushered in a new era in jazz history. This music, freed
from the prevailing conventions of harmony, rhythm, and melody transformed
the art form. From 1959 through the rest of the 60's, Coleman released more
than twenty critically acclaimed albums on the Atlantic and Blue Note labels,
most of which are now recognized as jazz classics. He also began writing string
quartets, woodwind quintets, and symphonies based on his theory.

In the next decade, more surprises included trend-setting albums such as Song
X with guitarist Pat Methany, and Virgin Beauty featuring the late Grateful Dead
leader Jerry Garcia as well as works on the soundtracks for the films Naked
Lunch and Philadelphia. In 1997, New York City's Lincoln Center Festival
featured his music over four days, including performances with the New York
Philharmonic of his symphonic work, Skies of America.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of recognition bestowed upon Mr.
Coleman for his work, including honorary doctorate degrees from the University
of Pennsylvania, California Institute of the Arts, Boston Conservatory, the New
School for Social Research, Berklee School of Music, and Bard College. In
1994, he was a recipient of the distinguished MacArthur Fellowship award, and
in 1997, was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2001,
he received the prestigious Praemium Imperiale award from the Japanese
government.

Mr. Coleman has been named as one of the 2007 Grammy Lifetime
Achievement Award recipients. Along with this fantastic acknowledgement, his
latest album, “Sound Grammar” was been nominated for a Grammy for “Best
Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group.”

It is indeed an honor for us that the great Ornette Coleman has now joined our
family as an esteemed Alexander Reeds World Artist.