Song X

Ornette Coleman (alto sax), Pat Metheny (guitar synthesizer), Charlie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) and Denardo Coleman (drums, percussion). From the album Song X (1986).

This album was born out of Pat Metheny’s fervent desire to play with Ornette Coleman. Both musicians were rehearsing for three weeks before their recording. The music has many similarities to that of the Coleman’s Prime Time bands and includes some of Coleman’s best work since the mid-70s. Metheny becomes a second expressive voice, running next to the master saxophonist and offering different strategies, but never boasting. Jack DeJohnette and Coleman’s son, Denardo, are fierce when it’s necessary and Charlie Haden does an excellent job.

Metheny’s adventurous spirit must be recognized, as he risked scaring his followers away leaving aside his popular sweet and melodic music to play with one of his heroes. Since forming his Prime Time ensembles, Ornette had played with younger musicians who didn’t offer him any challenge, but here Metheny, Haden and DeJohnette force him to play some of his best and most inspired interpretations, both on the wild side and on the lyric. In summary, this is a different album in which Metheny shows one of his many musical aspects.

The theme is very short and is exposed by Coleman and Metheny twice in unison. The first one to make his solo is Coleman, who begins playing in a moderate way while Metheny throws a continuous stream of notes infecting him and causing him to introduce increasingly daring phrases until he takes on a hectic pace. Metheny follows him with a persistent and unstoppable discourse, but Coleman comes back to make a second solo in which he continues with his impetuous impulse, but gradually the piece becomes a collective improvisation until the group re-exposes the theme.