Silas Green from New Orleans (1949)
Before joining this minstrel show, Ornette had worked in groups around Fort Worth. The group took him out of the state, but he later described it as “the worst job I ever had.” Ornette was kicked out of the band in Natchez, Mississippi after only two months for trying to teach a bebop tune to another player. From Natchez, Ornette made his way to New Orleans.
Pee Wee Crayton (1950)
When Ornette got to New Orleans, he soon found a job in another r&b band. This one was led by the singer Pee Wee Crayton. During the year, the band made a tour that ended in Los Angeles. Ornette stayed in the city for nine years.
Paul Bley (1958)
Bley was one of the first pianists to adopt the free jazz style. In 1958, Ornette and Don Cherry joined Paul Bley's band, which already included Billy Higgins and Charlie Haden. The group played at the Hillcrest Club in LA, but was fired by the end of the year.
James “Blood” Ulmer (1973-1975 & 1978)
Guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer played with Ornette from 1973 to 1975, but no recording from the period exists. In 1978, though, Ornette played on Ulmer's album Tales of Captain Black. Ulmer would go on to be one of innovators of “free funk” in the 1980s.
