New Vocabulary
Ornette Coleman · 2014
12 tracks · jazz
A bold exploration of avant-garde jazz, merging unconventional structures with a rich palette of sound and improvisation.
Top tracks — play these first
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Baby Food Start here — Opening with playful dissonance, this track encapsulates the album's experimental essence while showcasing Coleman's unique approach to melody and rhythm.
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If It Takes a Hatchet — This track features dynamic interplay among musicians, illustrating the tension and release that define Coleman's improvisational style.
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What's Hotter Than the Sun — With its intense energy and complex arrangements, this piece exemplifies Coleman's ability to blend lyrical expression with avant-garde techniques.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalColeman's bold improvisation and unique structures create a distinct and complex listening experience.
What we noticed
- Improvisation plays a central role, with musicians frequently trading solos and responding to each other's phrases in real-time.
- Several tracks incorporate unconventional instrumentation, adding layers of texture and complexity to the sound.
- The final track extends over ten minutes, allowing for an expansive exploration of themes introduced earlier in the album.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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9/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- fragmented improvisation and spontaneity
- unpredictable sonic explorations await
- intense focus on intricate melodies
- active listening for hidden details
Maybe skip if you
- prefer predictable song structures
- seek immediate musical gratification
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — Showcases Coleman's continued evolution after a decade-long hiatus.
- Career context
- Released in 2014, New Vocabulary marks Ornette Coleman's return to recording after a decade-long hiatus. This album showcases his continued evolution as a pioneering figure in jazz, particularly in the realm of free jazz, following his innovative works like The Shape of Jazz to Come and Sound Grammar.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Albert Ayler· John Coltrane· Cecil Taylor
Tracklist
- 1 Baby Food Start here
- 2 Sound Chemistry
- 3 Alphabet
- 4 Bleeding
- 5 If It Takes a Hatchet
- 6 Value and Knowledge
- 7 Population
- 8 Wife Life
- 9 The Idea Has No Destiny
- 10 H2O
- 11 What's Hotter Than the Sun
- 12 Gold Is God's Sex
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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