Elegy for Ornette
Marvin X
He played to us ornate sounds beyond the beyond
who would not want us to transcend American madness
mythical dream of eternal white supremacy
Ornette
let your sounds gather the army of independence
we must have some of this land to call our own
Elijah said
We deserve it for 400 years free labor
sing Ornette
scream Ornette
break down brain cells
music heals
armies march to music
music kills
give us healing music
sing Ornette
Scream
Scream
Ornette
We hear you
in our bowels
we hear you
in the bottomless pit of our treacherous souls
we hear you
dancing prancing on mountains hills
Ornette
Playing having fun raising the dead
black arts movement sounds of liberation
We love you
Ornette
ASE ASE ASE
--Marvin X
6/11/15
It's with great sadness that I report
the death of my dear friend and one
of the great master musicians of the ages
Ornette Coleman.
Ornette's approach to music was so radical
that it caused other master musicians at
the height of their creative powers to
step back and entirely reassess their own
art.
As an instrumentalist (particularly on
the alto sax), a composer, a band leader,
an educator, and a philosopher of music and
life he was peerless.
To meet him and spend any time at all
with him and be receptive to the experience
was to have your life changed for the good.
He was a thoroughly decent and kind
human being who cared as passionately about
others finding their voices as he fiercely
defended his right to explore and develop
his own.
By coincidence we screened tonight's video
recently.
In case you missed it - or even if you did
see it - this is one of the best film
documentations of Ornette the musician and
human being available.
http://www.jazzonthetube.com/page/26650.html
- Ken McCarthy
- Lester Perkins
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Please share Jazz on the Tube with your
friends and colleagues.
If they like jazz, they're going to love this.
Send your friends to this link and tell
them what we do...
http://www.jazzonthetube.com/content/su1.html