ESSAYS

This section includes essays on various jazz subjects, written by a number of writers. Contributions are welcome. Writers interested in contributing are welcome to contact the editor by filling out the form in the CONTACT tab. Photographs to illustrate those essays are welcome. Readers can click on the INDEX button for a list of articles in this folder.

THE MAKING OF FREE JAZZ

by Charlie Haden

Down Beat, January, 1992

In the January 1992 edition of Down Beat three authors discussed the legacy of Ornette Coleman's album Free Jazz, under the heading “30 Years of Free Jazz: Failed Experiment or Vital Musical Force?” Bassist Charlie Haden played on the session, while critics John McDonough and John Litweiler expressed radically different assessments of the music's influence. This article encapsulates Haden's opinion, from the point of view of a participating musician, while the views of McDonough and Litweiler are expressed in separate articles which follow chronologically on this website.

FAILED EXPERIMENT

by John McDonough

Down Beat, January, 1992

This is a companion piece to Charlie Haden’s “The Making of Free Jazz”, part of Down Beat’s investigation entitled “30 Years of Free Jazz: Failed Experiment or Vital Musical Force”, published in its edition of January, 1992. Other than the Haden piece, and this piece by John McDonough, Down Beat also published a piece entitled “Thank You, Ornette”, written by John Litweiler, which is also on this website…

THANK YOU, ORNETTE!

by John Litweiler

Down Beat, January, 1992

This is the third piece in Down Beat’s discussion entitled “30 Years of Free Jazz: Failed Experiment or Vital Musical Force”, published in its edition of January, 1992. The first was Charlie Haden’s “The Making of Free Jazz”, the second being John McDonough’s piece “Failed Experiment”…