Ornette Coleman – Body Meta VG+/VG+

Ornette Coleman’s 1978 album, Body Meta, marked a turning point in both his career and the landscape of jazz. Released on his self-founded Artists House label, it coincided with the formation of his electric band Prime Time. This wasn’t just a new group; it was a new direction. Body Meta shed the traditional swing rhythms of jazz, venturing into a deeper exploration of the blues fueled by funk and the angularity of electric guitars, drawing inspiration from the likes of Thelonious Monk.

The result was a wild ride, a fusion of styles that some found jarring, others exhilarating. It was undeniably new, a sound that defied easy categorization. Body Meta wasn’t just about pushing boundaries; it was about claiming artistic freedom. Coleman, ever the innovator, proved that jazz musicians could create on their own terms, outside the confines of major labels. This spirit of self-determination and the album’s unique sonic alchemy would pave the way for the M-Base movement that emerged later in New York City.

Body Meta wasn’t just groundbreaking; it was also surprisingly loose and relaxed. Despite the band’s reputation for intense energy, the album possesses a deceptive ease, weaving together elements of juke joint blues jams, fragmented echoes of James Brown’s rhythmic power, and even hints of waltzes with a militaristic edge.