When Ornette Coleman made his storied 1959 New York City debut at the Five Spot after releasing his landmark album The Shape of Jazz to Come earlier in the same year, there were, to say the least, a wide range of responses. At the time, people were just starting to come to terms with Charlie Parker—who had died four years earlier—and the landscape of bebop. Nobody was ready for Coleman. The unique, unfettered sound world Coleman built, and continues to build, had a profound influence on musicians of all stripes, including not just jazz but rock, blues, and classical.
Coleman's musical contributions will be explored tonight at Celebrate Brooklyn! with a program entitled, appropriately, "Celebrate Ornette." The maestro himself won't be there, but his son, drummer Denardo Coleman, and members of Coleman's various bands will perform alongside a star-studded cast including Bill Laswell, Bruce Hornsby, Flea, David Murray, Geri Allen, Henry Threadgill, James Blood Ulmer, John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, Nels Cline, Patti Smith, Ravi Coltrane, Savion Glover, and Thurston Moore.
Tonight's concert, as with most Celebrate Brooklyn! shows, is free of charge (though don't be a cheapskate—give $3 at the gate!) Showtime at 7:00 p.m.