today's Austin Statesman review of Ornette Coleman concert

[Wayne Johnson]

part..."rich Texas clay".

Pretentious?:
Moi?

Oh dear, oh dear,  what do these provincials think they mean?

wgJ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Eisenstadt" <michaele@hotpop.com>
To: <austin-ghetto-list@pairlist.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 3:23 PM
Subject: today's Austin Statesman review of Ornette Coleman concert


> By Joe Gross
> Nov. 18, 2004
>
> Sunday night, Ornette Coleman was treated like a conquering hero by a
> shockingly packed Bass Concert Hall. When a frail-looking Coleman took the
> stage in a powder blue suit and black hat, everyone rose to their feet, a
> standing ovation for a man everyone was thrilled to see still standing. He
> may look every day of his 74 years, but he sure doesn't play like it.
>
> At the same time, he does not play like the aggressive, muscular Ornette 
> of
> years past. Though it took him a good two or three pieces to truly find 
> his
> footing, his gorgeous tone swooped over a low end too often muted 
> (depending
> on where you sat) by the concert hall's unforgiving acoustics.
>
> Joined by son and drummer Denardo Coleman, bassist Tony Falanga and 
> bassist
> Greg Cohen, Coleman's 11-song set leaned on the gestural sketch artist's
> still-magical ability to fold multiple melodies into a single piece. 
> Though
> hampered by frustrating sound and dull drumming -- a transparent baffle
> muted Denardo's drums, robbing them of what little snap and punch his
> occasionally shaky timekeeping had -- there were moments of bracing,
> group-think beauty sprinkled throughout the set.
>
> Much of this was due to Falanga's remarkable bass. Bowing his bass and
> acting as a lead instrument, his rich tone was alternately mournful and,
> well, funny, echoing Coleman's melodic phrases with a keen but respectful
> wit. The set's pacing was a bit of a problem. The songs became sharper,
> bluesier and more riff-based as the set went on; we really could have used
> some of those up front. The first piece zipped by too quickly and without
> development, and was followed by a gorgeous ballad filled with moody, 
> almost
> cantorial statements from Falanga, who throughout the evening took
> responsibility for development of a piece's themes. A bowed duet between
> Flanaga and Cohen in the sixth piece was rich and savory.
>
> Ornette's trumpet playing walked a fine line between subtle color and
> tentative reserve, and his violin playing was mostly limited to staccato
> textural gestures. It was not a perfect set, and Ornette acknowledged as
> much, commenting after a bracing, bluesy encore, that they would be better
> the next time around. But it was still wonderful to hear the master's 
> line,
> part lithe folk, part rich Texas clay, still all his own.
>
>
>
>