Prime Time (band)
Prime Time was a band formed by Ornette Coleman in 1975[1] featuring two electric guitarists, two drummers, and occasionally two electric bassists alongside Coleman's saxophone.[2][3][4] The band utilized Harmolodics to create their music.[3] Founding members included guitarist Bern Nix, guitarist Charles Ellerbee, bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, drummer Denardo Coleman (Ornette's son) [1] and drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson.[5][6] Later members including bassist Albert MacDowell and drummer Sabir Kamal.[1]
Prime Time | |
|---|---|
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1975–1995 |
| Labels | Horizon Records Artists House Antilles Records Portrait Records Harmolodic/Verve Records |
| Past members | Charles Ellerbee Jamaaladeen Tacuma Denardo Coleman Kenny Wessel Bern Nix Ronald Shannon Jackson Albert MacDowell Sabir Kamal Dave Bryant |
The band's first album was Dancing in Your Head.[1] Their 1988 album, Virgin Beauty, was their most successful going to number two on Billboard magazine’s jazz chart and has sold more in its first year than any previous Coleman record.[2] The album featured Jerry Garcia on guitar, which granted Coleman and Prime Time a cross-over audience of Deadheads.[2] Prime Time later opened for Grateful Dead in 1993 at Oakland Coliseum.[7]
In 2017, two years after Ornette Coleman's death, his son Denardo reunited Prime Time for a concert at Alice Tully Hall in tribute to Ornette Coleman and Bern Nix.[8]
Discography Edit
Studio albums Edit
- Dancing in Your Head (1976)
- Body Meta (1978)
- Of Human Feelings (1979)
- In All Languages (1987)
- Virgin Beauty (1988)
- Tone Dialing (1995)
Live albums Edit
- Opening the Caravan of Dreams (1985)
- Jazzbühne Berlin '88 (1988)
References Edit
- ^ a b c d Palmer, Robert (July 16, 1986). "The Pop Life; Ornette Coleman's Music Develops in Prime Time". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ a b c Fricke, David (March 8, 1989). "Ornette Coleman's Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ a b Davis, Francis (September 1985). "Ornette's Permanent Revolution". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ Jones, Mickey IQ (June 26, 2016). "How Ornette Coleman's Prime Time broke the rules and influenced generations". Fact. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ Tamarkin, Jeff (October 19, 2013). "Drummer & Composer Ronald Shannon Jackson Dies at 73". Jazz Times. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ Shteamer, Hank (April 2014). "In Memoriam: Ronald Shannon Jackson". Modern Drummer. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ "Ornette and Grateful Dead". WCBN. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ Chinen, Nate (July 13, 2017). "Denardo Coleman Reunites Prime Time, In Harmolodic Tribute to His Father, Ornette". WBGO. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
External links Edit
- Prime Time discography at AllMusic