Sowing Records / Europe / RE 2022 / LP, clear
Tomorrow Is the Question! marks Ornette Coleman’s groundbreaking second album, originally released in 1959 on the Contemporary label. A pivotal step in his artistic journey, this record boldly omits the piano—an unconventional choice at the time—allowing for greater improvisational freedom. With a lineup featuring Don Cherry on trumpet, Shelly Manne on drums, and Percy Heath and Red Mitchell alternating on bass, Coleman sought to strip away harmonic constraints and open up new avenues for spontaneous musical dialogue.
The album’s title is fitting—posing a challenge to the direction of modern jazz and offering a glimpse into Coleman’s revolutionary vision. A key milestone in the evolution of free jazz, Tomorrow Is the Question! stands as a vital and daring statement in American jazz history, signaling the emergence of a true innovator.