Ornette Coleman - Friends & Neighbours

Originally released in 1970, Friends and Neighbors - Ornette Live At Prince Street, features Ornette Coleman with bassist Charlie Haden, Dewey Redman (tenor sax) and drummer Ed Blackwell -- all well versed in Coleman's distinctive style.

The opening title track has various friends and neighbours chanting the title as Coleman plays skittish violin and Redman jams with angular humour over a funk-rock bassline.

The second track is a shorter instrumental version of the same piece then comes the 11 minute Long Time No See, the highpoint where Coleman plays bouncy melodic lines and Blackwell rides his cymbals to drive them along. It's a real treasure for the simple pleasure it takes in the loose-fitting tune.

Coleman picks up trumpet for the slightly woozy Let's Play, but things get seriously challenging on the 12 minute Tomorrow which closes the journey which had begun with those friends and neighbours around for a singalong.

In that regard, Friends and Neighbours is an entry-level Ornette Coleman album for those a bit fearful of undertaking the ground-breaking Free Jazz.