Ornette Coleman Trio (1966)
Directed by Dick Fontaine
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Tenor sax legend Ornette Coleman is (surprise!) the focal point of this 27-minute musical documentary. The film records a three-day studio session, following Coleman around as he plays, ponders and haggles. Also seen are Coleman's longtime collaborators: bass player David Izzenon and drummer Charles Moffett. In style and substance, Trio is a worthy ancestor to the classic 1940s short subject Jammin' the Blues. It is also of inestimable historical value, since the film predates Coleman's first major album, Amsterdam After Dark, by a decade.