The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman (1959)

This album is four aliens having a lively conversation using a sax, cornet, double bass and a drum kit as opposed to voices. Consider how 'out there' this registers to me in the year of our lord 2026, I'm surprised anyone survived their first listen when this hit record store shelves in May 1959.

To basically create avant jazz under one album is one thing, to accurately foretell your genre's direction in the album title is another and to make that very first avant jazz album the stone cold classic standard that every relevant musician holds themselves to for... the rest of time? Unreal.


Bonus bit - freak fusion jazz legend Don Cherry has an early appearance as a member of the band used on this album. In my opinion, he wouldn't hit his peak for another two decades or so with the thankfully self indulgent masterpiece Brown Rice.



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