Ornette Coleman & Prime Time at the Philharmonie im Gasteig

Recorded at the Philharmonie im Gasteig during the Munich Klaviersommer in 1991, Ornette Coleman appears with his electric band Prime Time in a wide-ranging set drawn from across his late repertoire. Familiar Coleman themes such as Song X, Virgin Beauty and Dancing in Your Head sit alongside more relaxed, exploratory pieces, with grooves opening out into extended improvisation. The sound of Prime Time — twin electric guitars, bass, keyboards, tabla and drums — gives the music its distinctive, open-ended momentum, while a brief nod to Bach hints at Coleman’s ongoing interest in form as well as freedom. The recording captures a concert that moves easily between pulse, texture and spontaneity.