This poster advertising Ornette Coleman and Prime Time is unique in several ways. It's the oldest piece available in our ongoing auction, and the only one in this current collection designed for a jazz musician. The legendary saxophonist and his band played in Portland, Oregon on June 21st, 1986. The incredible Mike King created this gig poster for the event.
Jazz Legend Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman was actively playing jazz for audiences from 1958 up until his death in 2015. He was one of the founders of "free jazz", an experimental form of jazz improvisation. He also fused elements of rock and funk music into his own unique style. Ornette Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time. He was also known to collaborate with several other celebrated musicians, such as the Grateful Dead and Pat Metheny.
The design of this poster is pretty typical for a jazz show. It features a simple black and white image of Coleman playing his saxophone. Images of featured musicians playing their instruments almost always appear on jazz posters, which immediately lets you know what kind of music is being advertised. The lettering style is something you could expect to see on an Ornette Coleman album cover. Additionally, the whole piece is true to the style of Mike King and is one of the few pieces in the Ultrasounds collection to feature a jazz musician.
A Piece of Music History
1986 was a time in Ornette Coleman's career in which he was still very active. The month in which this concert occurred was the same month that Coleman and Pat Metheny released their album Song X. He would still be featured on some twelve albums throughout the rest of his career. He has one of the largest discographies of any jazz legend.
This poster would be a perfect addition to any well-rounded collection. Whether you're a jazz aficionado or a lover of all kinds of music, Coleman's unique music will certainly appeal to you. Make sure to place your bids soon so that you can have this piece of music history hanging on your wall.
