Headwaters Music and the Walker Art Center celebrate the genius of legendary jazz innovator Ornette Coleman with
The Festival Dancing In Your Head: Ornette at 75
, Thursday-Saturday, April 21-23. Expanding the boundaries of “free jazz” with radical inventiveness, a polyglot infusion of musical traditions and techniques, and an elusive music philosophy called “harmolodics,” Coleman has sparked furious opposition during his half century of performing and composing but his joy-filled compositions, unshakable spirit, and insatiable curiosity have forever altered the trajectory of modern music. Through cross-genre collaborations, he’s made albums with artists from Jerry Garcia and Pat Metheny to musicians from Morrocco and Nigeria. With more than 50 recordings to his credit, he’s earned a spot in DownBeat’s Hall of Fame (1969), a MacArthur “genius” grant (1994), and the adulation of countless musicians who have taken inspiration from his pioneering will.
The Festival Dancing in Your Head—started by festival director Anthony Gatto and named after Coleman’s 1977 recording Dancing in Your Head—celebrates such Ornette-style musical exploration with an evening featuring national and local musicians from a varied spectrum of genres playing The Music of Ornette Coleman, April 21; a concert by the master himself with the Ornette Coleman Quartet featuring Coleman (alto sax), Denardo Coleman (drums), Greg Cohen (bass), and Tony Falanga (bass), April 22; and The Festival Dancing in Your Head Marathon, an eight-hour showcase of performances by daring local and national music makers inspired by Coleman’s adventurous spirit, April 23.
Complete Festival details below. ($) denotes Walker member price. Except where noted, tickets are available at walkerart.org/tickets or by calling 612.375.7600.
The Music of Ornette Coleman
Thursday, April 21, 8 pm
$28 ($23 Walker members)
William and Nadine McGuire Theater
National and local jazz, classical, rock, and world musicians play the expansive, rigorous, beautiful music of Ornette Coleman. Featuring The FLUX Quartet and Tom Chiu; Anthony Cox & Nirmala Rajesekar Ensemble; Happy Apple; The Bad Plus; and a special one-time fusion of the two, The Bad Apple.
Ornette Coleman Quartet
Friday, April 22, 8 pm $47 ($37.50), $37 ($29.50), $27 ($21.50)
Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth Street South, Minneapolis
Tickets: 612.624.2345
“Coleman’s music remains so singular that, 40 years after his debut recordings, I still can’t hear it without marveling anew.” —The Village Voice
In jazz, Ornette Coleman’s importance is rivaled by few; he set American music on a new path, transforming the possibilities available to creative artists of every style. Today, his live U.S. performances are rare—this concert, in celebration of his 75th birthday, promises to be the local jazz event of the decade. Featuring Coleman (alto sax), Denardo Coleman (drums), Greg Cohen (bass), and Tony Falanga (bass). Copresented with the Northrop Jazz Season.
The Festival Dancing in Your Head Marathon
Saturday, April 23, 4 pm–12 midnight
$15 ($12)
William and Nadine McGuire Theater
Just as Coleman’s innovations ignore the boundaries between musical styles, this eight-hour aural sampler of work by Minnesota’s finest and most daring musicmakers features a range of national guests. Headwaters Music and the Walker present another wonderful ride through vital music from near and far. A schedule of performances follows:
4 pm
Fernando Meza and Erik Barsness
Tom Chiu
Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
George Cartwright’s GloryLand PonyCat
Nachito Herrera
Patrick Crossland
6 pm
Douglas Ewart/Gao Hong/Steve Goldstein
Erik Barsness
Zeitgeist
Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
Zebulon Pike
8 pm
Patrick Crossland
Fat Kid Wednesdays and Wendy Lewis
Nirmala Rajesekar/Anthony Cox Ensemble
Rehobot Oromo Choir
Dean Granros with the Antigravity Ensemble
10 pm
Happy Apple
Dosh
Bad Plus
Bang on a Can All-Stars
The Festival Dancing in Your Head is made possible by generous support from Accenture, the Jerome Foundation, and the McKnight Foundation.
Headwaters Music receives generous support from the McKnight
Foundation and the Jerome Foundation in celebration of the Jerome Hill Centennial.
