George Coleman

[Kyo]

I love his later stuff in particular, like My Horns of Plenty and I Could Write a Book.

[Tom in RI]

There's a George Coleman octet date on Ned Otter's label 2and4 records that is pretty good (not up to the level of Big George imo), Coleman is also a sideman on another 2and4 release under Otter's name where he (Coleman) plays both tenor and alto. There are, evidently, some sessions in the can that Otter has not yet been able to put out which is a shame.

[Tom in RI]

A couple other sideman dates for Coleman that really stand out for me are Hilton Ruiz, A Moment's Notice and Mario Rivera, El Commandante (that one may be a little hard to find).

Edited July 19, 2008 by Tom in RI

[AndrewHill]

I'm going to dig into some of these recs as I love his stuff with Miles Davis.

Second that. Coleman added something special to that band.

[A Lark Ascending]

Like others, I fell for George Coleman's sound on the 'My Funny Valentine' Miles album when I first heard it in the late 70s. Since then I've picked up a fair few of his solo discs, having a particular fondness for 'Amsterdam after Dark.'

I think he came over to the UK nearly every year during the 80s/90s - I got to see him just the once quite late on.

Here's a good 1990s club date from Ronnie's:

British rhythm section plus a guest appearance by Peter King. It also exists in a twofer with and 1979 date from Ronnie's ('Playing Changes'). Both are on e-music.

There was another recording from Ronnies from the late 70s that appeared on the brief Ronnie Scott house label. For some reason that never got to CD:

Leader:George Coleman: Live

Ronnie Scott’s Club, London, April 19-20, 1979

George Coleman-tsx; Hilton Ruiz-p; Ray Drummond-b; Billy Higgins-d

[a] Blues Inside Out George Coleman 11:30

Walking [sic] Carpenter 15:12

[c] Stella By Starlight Washington-Young 21:35

From http://www.georgecoleman.com/discography_frame.html

I assume that lies in the same attic as Ronnie Scott's own 'Serious Gold'.

[Denis]

How about his collaboration with Chet Baker ?

Five albums for Prestige. Recorded in August 1965.

Groovin' with the Chet Baker quintet.

Comin'On with the Chet Baker quintet.

Cool Burnin' with the Chet Baker quintet.

Smokin' with the Chet Baker quintet

Boppin' with the Chet Baker quintet.

These sessions have since been released on 3 CD's in 1996.

Denis

[Chuck Nessa]

I admire his musicianship but care little for his music.

[jlhoots]

I admire his musicianship but care little for his music.

Chet Baker or George Coleman or both??

[king ubu]

First heard Coleman on the My Funny Valentine/Four & More 2CD set - huge impression he made on me! A very nuanced player, lots of great moments on those two hours of music!

I don't have many of his leader dates, but "Big George" is fine, so is "My Horns a Plenty" or what it's called, that Birdology/Dreyfus thing.

Last week I found Joey DeFrancesco's official bootleg disc in the summer sale bins - some mighty fine Coleman there, as well!

I was lucky to see Coleman live with Ahmad Jamal, around the time Jamal's live disc from Paris was made, with the very same band (James Cammack, as usual, and a smoking Idris Muhammad). That was one of the better concerts I've witnessed, though Jamal to me lost quite some of what made him so special back in the days of is Argo albums... Coleman was great, though!