Beauty Is a Rare Thing cover

Beauty Is a Rare Thing

Ornette Coleman · 1993

426 min · 57 tracks · jazz

A vibrant exploration of free jazz, weaving complex improvisations through a tapestry of emotional depth and innovative structures.

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Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Focus on Sanity Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
  • →
    Lonely Woman — This track stands as an emblem of Coleman's ability to blend haunting melodies with free improvisation, creating an emotional landscape that resonates deeply with listeners.
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    Change of the Century — Incorporating elements of both melody and dissonance, this piece exemplifies Coleman's forward-thinking vision, pushing the boundaries of traditional jazz forms.
  • →
    Free Jazz — The title track is a landmark composition in the free jazz genre, characterized by its collective improvisation and rich sonic textures that challenge conventional structure.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • dynamic improvisation with peaks
  • long-form explorations of sound
  • engaging late-night listening sessions
  • intricate melodies for detail hunters
  • wave-like pacing that unfolds

Maybe skip if you

  • prefer concise, standalone tracks
  • seek instant gratification in music

Where this album fits

In the catalog
Late Career Highlight — Showcases continued innovation and emotional depth in Coleman's later career.
Career context
Released in 1993, Beauty Is a Rare Thing arrived during Ornette Coleman's later career, following his influential works in the 1960s and 1970s. At this point, Coleman was revisiting and reinterpreting his earlier compositions, showcasing a mature understanding of harmony and rhythm that reflected decades of innovation in jazz.
Stylistic neighbors
Albert Ayler· John Coltrane· Cecil Taylor
New to Ornette Coleman? Find your way in →

Tracklist

Disc 1

  • 1 Focus on Sanity Start here 6:51
  • 2 Chronology 6:07
  • 3 Peace 9:04
  • 4 Congeniality 6:47
  • 5 Lonely Woman 4:59
  • 6 Monk and the Nun 5:56
  • 7 Just for You 3:53
  • 8 Eventually 4:23
  • 9 Una muy bonita 6:00
  • 10 Bird Food 5:30
  • 11 Change of the Century 4:44
  • 12 Music Always 5:29

Disc 2

  • 1 The Face of the Bass 6:57
  • 2 Forerunner 5:15
  • 3 Free 6:22
  • 4 The Circle With a Hole in the Middle 4:53
  • 5 Ramblin’ 6:37
  • 6 Little Symphony 5:16
  • 7 The Tribes of New York 4:34
  • 8 Kaleidoscope 6:36
  • 9 Rise and Shine 6:13
  • 10 Mr. and Mrs. People 4:42
  • 11 Blues Connotation 5:18
  • 12 I Heard It Over the Radio 6:23

Disc 3

  • 1 P.S. Unless One Has (Blues Connotation No. 2) 5:54
  • 2 Revolving Doors 4:28
  • 3 Brings Goodness 6:39
  • 4 Joy of a Toy 4:57
  • 5 To Us 4:36
  • 6 Humpty Dumpty 5:24
  • 7 The Fifth of Beethoven 6:37
  • 8 Motive for Its Use 5:41
  • 9 Moon Inhabitants 4:33
  • 10 The Legend of Bebop 7:18
  • 11 Some Other 7:23
  • 12 Embraceable You 4:56
  • 13 All 4:30

Disc 4

  • 1 Folk Tale 4:48
  • 2 Poise 4:38
  • 3 Beauty Is a Rare Thing 7:14
  • 4 First Take 17:05
  • 5 Free Jazz 37:03

Disc 5

  • 1 Proof Readers 10:27
  • 2 W.R.U. 16:27
  • 3 Check Up 10:11
  • 4 T. & T. 4:38
  • 5 C. & D. 13:12
  • 6 R.P.D.D. 9:40
  • 7 The Alchemy of Scott LaFaro 9:49

Disc 6

  • 1 Eos 6:37
  • 2 Enfant 6:28
  • 3 Ecars 7:37
  • 4 Cross Breeding 11:21
  • 5 Harlem’s Manhattan 8:11
  • 6 Mapa 9:07
  • 7 Abstraction 4:10
  • 8 Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk (Criss‐Cross): Variant I / Variant II / Variant III / Variant IV 15:22

What to play next

Tone Dialing
Listen next

Tone Dialing

1995

Continues the exploration of innovative structures and emotional depth in a new context.
Virgin Beauty
Go back to

Virgin Beauty

1988

Sets a foundation with rich textures and improvisational flair leading into the current album.
Full Ornette Coleman discography Where to start with Ornette Coleman Artists like Ornette Coleman
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Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata