Ornette Coleman at the Meltdown Festival

[mjzee]

One of the perks of running London's Southbank Centre is getting to choose who will curate the cross-genre linkings, tributes and one-off events that make up the annual Meltdown festival . The venue's director Glenn Max is still mildly astonished to have found himself sitting on the sofa of his great hero, Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt, discussing the ten-day programme, soon after taking the job in 2001.

This year, his invitation went to Ornette Coleman, the saxophonist, composer and eminence gris of free jazz. The iconoclastic and genre- bending American dovetails perfectly with Meltdown's emphasis on the bespoke and on the cutting edge, and harks back to the festival's early years - the first curator, in 1993, was contemporary classical composer George Benjamin, whereas the last two festivals were stewarded by British pop artists Jarvis Cocker and Massive Attack respectively.

More here: Financial Times

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, it'll be pretty interesting.

Unfortunately I can only go Sunday but it'll be curious to see Ribot, Bennink and Evan Parker in trio.

[Enterprise Server]

This year, his invitation went to Ornette Coleman, the saxophonist, composer and eminence gris of free jazz. The iconoclastic and genre- bending American dovetails perfectly with Meltdown's emphasis on the bespoke and on the cutting edge, and harks back to the festival's early years - the first curator, in 1993, was contemporary classical composer George Benjamin, whereas the last two festivals were stewarded by British pop artists Jarvis Cocker and Massive Attack respectively.

One of my favorite musicians. I wish I could be there.....