Ornette Coleman's Science Fiction Sessions

[donald byrd 4 EVA]

Crying Babies???? Weird pseudo-religious voice overs??? Do any of you know the story behind the genesis/inspiration for this session?

[Rooster_Ties]

Damn, I just listened to most of this one last night - and was even thinking of starting a thread about it.

Wild collection of material. Law Years and Happy House are my favorites -- Law Years especially.

[Chuck Nessa]

I was irritated by the way the documentation for the Columbia 2fer was presented so I made the following listing:

Ornette Coleman Columbia Sessions

Sorting out The Complete Science Fiction Sessions original issue

Mr. Coleman appears on all tracks.

Sept. 9, 1971

Redman, Cherry, Bradford, Haden, Higgins, Blackwell

CO 112012 Happy House Broken Shadows A1

CO 112013 Broken Shadows Broken Shadows B2

CO 112014 Written Word new

CO 112015 Elizabeth Broken Shadows A2

Cherry, Haden, Higgins

CO 112016 Civilization Day Science Fiction A2

CO 112016 Civilization Day (clean mix) new

CO 112017 Country Town Blues Broken Shadows B1

CO 112018 Street Woman Science Fiction A3

CO 112018 Street Woman (alt) new

Redman, Bradford, Haden, Blackwell

CO 112019 School Work Broken Shadows A3

CO 112020 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper Science Fiction B4

CO 112021 Law Years Science Fiction B3

Sept. 10, 1971

Henderson, Redman, Cherry, Bradford, Haden, Higgins, Blackwell

CO 112024 Science Fiction Science Fiction A4

Sept. 13, 1971

Puthli, Fornarotto, Schwarz, Redman, Haden, Blackwell, Higgins

CO 111482 What Reason Could I Give Science Fiction A1

CO 111483 All My Life Science Fiction B2

Redman, Haden, Blackwell

CO 111484 Rock the Clock Science Fiction B1

Sept. 7, 1972

Redman, Haden, Blackwell

CO 112663 Rubber Gloves Broken Shadows B3

Sept. 8, 1972

Armstrong, Redman, Walton, Hall, Haden, Blackwell, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, french horn

CO 112664 Good Girl Blues Broken Shadows B4

CO 112665 Is It Forever Broken Shadows B5

Well, my formatting was screwed up - the original issue info should be too the right, not next to the song titles.

Edited February 14, 2007 by Chuck Nessa

[Don Brown]

The reason Ornette titled one of his pieces "Science Fiction" is interesting. It's actually a bit of an "homage". Apparently Ornette had become friendly with well-known science fiction writer Judith Merril sometime in the 1960s. Not long after, Merril, who was so fed up with what was happening in the U.S. at the time, moved lock, stock and barrel to Toronto. In early 1971, a friend of mine took Merril to the Colonial Tavern on Yonge Street to hear Coleman. The saxophonist immediately spotted her from the stage and said "Hey, it's the science fiction lady", then introduced her to the audience. The following September he recorded "Science Fiction" for Columbia Records.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Don Brown

[Chuck Nessa]

Nice story. Thanks Don.

[Guy Berger]

This collection has some of my favorite Ornette. I am not so hot on the tracks w/Jim Hall and the blues vocalist, though.

Guy

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

did i hear someone say GENESIS?

[B. Clugston]

The Bad Plus along with Tim Berne, Ron Miles, and Sam Newsome will be performing Ornette Coleman's Science Fiction in its entirety.

Ethan Iverson has written a nice feature on the album: http://dothemath.typepad.com/dtm/science-fiction.html

[clifford_thornton]

I'd like to see this on the 23rd but I'll be at Oliver Lake & Baikida Carroll.

[xybert]

Wonder if they'll record an album... i'd like to hear it!

[AndrewHill]

One of my favorites right up there with the Atlantics Charlie Haden owned this record imo