Soapsuds, Soapsuds

by Scott YanowThis unusual album found Coleman taking time off from his electric free funk group, Prime Time, to record acoustic duets with his longtime associate, bassist Charlie Haden. Coleman switches to tenor and trumpet for the challenging music which includes three of his originals, Haden's "Human Being" and oddly enough, the theme from the TV show Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Haden, who had proved to be the perfect bassist for the original Ornette Coleman Quartet (who else could have filled his shoes in 1959?), is the equal of Coleman on this 1996 reissue CD, inspiring the saxophonist to play near his peak.