Ornette Coleman: Skies of America

[ep1str0phy]

People:

I'm looking for information on Ornette's Skies of America--not only the recording, but also the history of the symphony in the way of public performance and development. Anything you have--including old reviews of performances and the album (or even personal opinions) would be greatly appreciated. Also, for those scholars here--the history of the composition is storied but somewhat sparsely available. I've already read through the Litweiler and Niklas Wilson books, as well as numerous articles online; I'm still curious as to the specifics of the policy of the British Musicians Union (preventing the OC Quartet from peforming on the album), why Ornette was impelled to work abroad (I would assume this has something to do with the quality of the LSO), and the role of Coleman's Guggenheim grant or any other subsidies in the production of the symphony. Again, anything would be greatly appreciated.

[kh1958]

I know it was performed in September of 1983 in Fort Worth, with the Fort Worth Symphony and Prime Time, in conjunction with the opening of the Caravan of Dreams. There are excerpts of the performance in a Shirley Clarke documentary film, Ornette, Made in America.

[Spontooneous]

It was probably flat-out cheaper for Columbia to record it in London. Columbia even recorded the great American composer Aaron Copland in London. This can probably be blamed on the AF of M.

[Guest youmustbe]

I think my cousin was in the violin section when it was perfromed in NY. If she was and has any insights I'll pass it on.

[mjzee]

I saw it performed as part of the Newport Jazz Festival in NY when the album came out. It was a double bill: Ornette and band backed by a 40-piece orchestra, then Charlie Mingus (they were both on Columbia, and I think "Let My Children Hear Music" was also recently released). I remember being bored by Skies of America: the orchestra would play a section, then Ornette and band would play a section, then the orchestra, then Ornette, etc - rarely did both play together. Things got much livelier when Mingus hit the stage - he was really funny introducing the pieces, leafing through his sheet music trying to decide what to play, etc.

[kh1958]

Link to review of 1983 performance:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...753C1A965948260

[ep1str0phy]

Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though).

[Eloe Omoe]

Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though).

Ornette will be performing Skies of America tomorrow evening in Bologna, Italy, with his quartet (Al McDowell, Tony Falanga and Denardo) and the local Symphony Orchestra.

In 1990, there have been two Italian performances of Skies of America, one with the Quartet (Ornette, Cherry, Haden, Higgins) and one with Prime Time. The Orchestra conductor was John Giordano.

luca

Edited October 5, 2006 by Eloe Omoe

[David Ayers]

Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though).

Ornette will be performing Skies of America tomorrow evening in Bologna, Italy, with his quartet (Al McDowell, Tony Falanga and Denardo) and the local Symphony Orchestra.

In 1990, there have been two Italian performances of Skies of America, one with the Quartet (Ornette, Cherry, Haden, Higgins) and one with Prime Time. The Orchestra conductor was John Giordano.

luca

Heck. Talk about a coincidence. I'm going to start an Elvis found on Moon thread and see what happens.

On a more serious note, I have a review (at least one) of the London 198x performance - I'll try to find it...

Edited October 5, 2006 by David Ayers

[ep1str0phy]

Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though).

Ornette will be performing Skies of America tomorrow evening in Bologna, Italy, with his quartet (Al McDowell, Tony Falanga and Denardo) and the local Symphony Orchestra.

In 1990, there have been two Italian performances of Skies of America, one with the Quartet (Ornette, Cherry, Haden, Higgins) and one with Prime Time. The Orchestra conductor was John Giordano.

luca

Heck. Talk about a coincidence. I'm going to start an Elvis found on Moon thread and see what happens.

On a more serious note, I have a review (at least one) of the London 198x performance - I'll try to find it...

I'm familiar with the fact that Giordano reorchestrated the piece, but I'd be interested in knowing just how much (and to what extent) things changed...

With regard to the Bologna performance--if that's Ornette's present quartet, what happened to Cohen?

Thanks again, guys...