1959. It was a pivÂotal year for jazz. MusiÂcians startÂed breakÂing away from bebop, explorÂing new, experÂiÂmenÂtal forms. And four absoluteÂly canonÂiÂcal LPs were recordÂed that year: Kind of Blue by Miles Davis; Time Out by Dave Brubeck; MinÂgus Ah Um by Charles MinÂgus; and The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette ColeÂman. 1959 also found AmerÂiÂca on the cusp of great social and politÂiÂcal upheaval. InteÂgraÂtion, VietÂnam, the Cuban MisÂsile CriÂsis — they were all comÂing around the bend, and someÂtimes figÂures like MinÂgus and ColeÂman comÂmentÂed musiÂcalÂly on these events.
This transÂforÂmaÂtive periÂod gets niceÂly covÂered by the recent BBC docÂuÂmenÂtary, 1959: The Year that Changed Jazz. The outÂtake above focusÂes on Ornette ColeÂman and his innoÂvÂaÂtive work as a free jazz musiÂcian. If it whets your appetite, you can dive into the full proÂgram on YouTube. The docÂuÂmenÂtary feaÂturÂing interÂviews with Brubeck, ColeÂman, Lou Reed, and HerÂbie HanÂcock is availÂable runs roughÂly 60 minÂutes.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. Or folÂlow our posts on Threads, FaceÂbook and BlueSky.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
via MetafilÂter
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
John Coltrane’s HandÂwritÂten OutÂline for His MasÂterÂpiece A Love Supreme
DisÂcovÂer the Church of St. John Coltrane, FoundÂed on the Divine Music of A Love Supreme
RealÂly interÂestÂing. I like hearÂing the stoÂries about the musiÂcians as peoÂple.
WonÂderÂful video. It gives you a key to underÂstand the difÂferÂent ways of playÂing jazz.
bomb diggity…so homeÂsick!!!
I was born in 59. SpringÂfield MassÂaÂchuÂsetts HamÂpÂden CounÂty in an inteÂgratÂed world where racism was still at the edge of my civÂiÂlizaÂtion. Now I’m retrace myself backÂwards I want to know what was going on in 59 the kind of peoÂple that were and most of all how 59 became a popÂuÂlar word or phrase and they betÂter hapÂpenÂing. So let’s celÂeÂbrate 59 cuz next year I’ll be 60
Coltrane’s Giant Steps came out in 1959, too. It realÂly was a waterÂshed year.