Ornette Coleman: A Harmolodic Life

Seminal saxophonist and composer Coleman, who was born in 1930, grew up in Fort Worth, Tex., attending high school with such other aspiring young musicians as King Curtis, Charles Moffett and Dewey Redman. In this biographical study, which also analyzes Coleman's music and recordings, former Downbeat editor Litweiler ( The Freedom Principle ) chronicles the musician's early years in Texas and Los Angeles, where he fared poorly, then his move to New York City, where he achieved wider recognition in the 1950s. The author describes the saxophonist's career as one of innovation and lack of recognition--``I couldn't get myself arrested in this country,'' Coleman once mused. Even fellow musicians didn't wholly understand his radical ideas and unconventional style of musical notation; this incomprehension was especially trying during the early years when he was struggling to establish himself. The sweet, generous and highly skilled Coleman is potentially an extraordinary subject for a biography, but Litweiler relies too heavily on previously published material. Photos not seen by PW . ( Apr. )