All the same, I rejoice at his winning the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for music. Nobody, since Ellington died in 1974, has so deserved the recognition for so long a time. And if critic Gary Giddins is correct in saying that it's the whole ouevre, not the individual work, that counts in American music (and I'm not sure he is, but bear with me), let Coleman's award stand for a half-century of redefining the word "music." In that sense he can stand with the "special citation" lifetime achievement awards that Pulitzer gave posthumously to Ellington, Joplin, and Gershwin...the only difference being that Coleman was still alive to receive the accolades he has earned.
Plus, Sound Gallery really was an incredible record, likely better and more important than any symphony or opera premiered last year.
*Because classical snobs have never heard of Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, or W.C. Handy.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
great reporting, mjw. it makes me want to spend the night on the keyboard, probably will once the Sbares finish off the Islanders. you should be writing more.
2 - Pico
I caught the news of this last Monday, didn't even know prior to this that there is a Pulitzer for music. Ornette very much deserved the recognition.
3 - Michael J. West
Thanks, El Bicho. You, too, Pico. I'll actually be writing again tomorrow, but on a far less pleasant note: if you guys weren't aware, Andrew Hill passed away this morning...
4 - Howard Dratch
I never thought about a Pulitzer for music before either. But if there was a jazz musician to win it, as you point out, Ornette Coleman was the man to do it. There is fine music, musicianship and then there is someone like Coleman who steps beyond all of that into new territory.