New Rave

Rip It Up, Issue 44, 1 March 1981, Page 18

New Rave

Following appearances in Australia, Old and New Dreams the critically-acclaimed jazz group have been confirmed for concerts at the Christchurch Repertory Theatre on March 24, and Auckland’s Maidment Theatre on March 25.

Old and New Dreams had its genesis in the controversial Ornette Coleman quartets of the late fifties, when Coleman met kindred spirits in Don Cherry (pocket trumpet), Charlie Haden (bass) and Ed Blackwell (drums). This group assisted altoist Coleman in the development of his harmolodic theory, and pioneered the ‘free jazz' movement. Although his music embroiled the jazz world in arguments which last to this day, to the non-musician, Coleman's melodic compositions sound simple, almost folkish. Dubbed ’anti-music’ by its opponents, Coleman’s innovations have proved to be The Shape of Jazz to Come as prophesised by one of his most important albums. When, in the sixties, Coleman expanded his group, he brought in former schoolmate and tenor player, Dewey Redman. This group disbanded when Coleman took a long sabbatical before unveiling his jazz fusion band, Prime Time.

In 1978, Redman, Cherry, Haden and Blackwell formed Old and New Dreams to play Ornette Coleman compositions and further develop along the lines of the ’classic’ quartets. The rapport among the members of the group, built up from a series of highlyacclaimed tours and two brilliant albums, led to their selection as one of today’s top three bands by Downbeat's critic’s poll. Concert highlights should include Coleman’s ‘Lonely Woman', Haden’s ‘Song for the Whales', Blackwell’s ‘Togo’, Redman’s ‘Guinea’ and Cherry’s ‘Next to the Quiet Stream’.

Graham Donlon