Town Hall, 1962

On Christmas evening 1962, Coleman (with financial help from Irving Stone) produced and recorded his own concert at Town Hall in New York City, with David Izenzon (bass), Charles Moffett (drums) and a string ensemble. An important release documenting a point of change in Coleman's work.

"'Dedication To Poets and Writers' for string quartet, is now widely recognized as Ornette's first harmolodic chamber music based on his ideas he would later call Harmolodics. This classical string quartet curiously fits together with the three trio pieces, due to the input of bassman David Izenzon. His classical approach and his broad understanding of rhythmical complexity are the perfect match to Ornette's free and lyrical alto lines. Izenzon's ability to improvise out of context with anything that is going around him, also makes him the perfect partner for drummer Charles Moffett. Moffett is merely providing an atmospherical background, sometimes with a hard swing indeed, sometimes experimenting with free noise." -- Remco Takken

Personnel

Ornette Coleman: alto sax
David Izenzon: bass
Charles Moffett: drums

String Quartet on Track #3
Selwart Clarke: violin
Nathan Goldstein: violin
Julien Barber: viola
Kermit Moore: cello


Track Listing

1.Doughnut9:282.Sadness4:203.Dedication to Poets and Writers9:174.The Ark23:46

Compositions by Ornette Coleman (ESP-Disk' Ltd. ASCAP & Phrase Text Music ASCAP)

Credits

Recorded on December 12, 1962 at Town Hall, NYC. Engineering by Jerry Newman. Original cover photo by Charles Shabacon. Production manager: Tom Abbs. Digital remastering: Douglas McGregor. Design by Miles Bachman & Michael Sanzone.

Press Quotes

"In the stream of its apparent freedom, this trio acts with constraints, imposed not by restriction, but by genius." - Lyn Horton, All About Jazz

"This record marks a hand full of milestones for the alto saxophonist. It's his first and only release from the ESP-Disk' label; his first recording with his new trio featuring Izenzon and Moffett; his last release before a two year hiatus from recording and live performances; and it's an early example of Coleman's theory of harmolodics featuring a string ensemble."
- This Shape Of Jazz

Musicians: Ornette Coleman / David Izenzon / Charles Moffett / Selwart Clarke / Nathan Goldstein / Julien Barber / Kermit Moore /