Nothing to Say

Ornette Coleman (alto sax), James Blood Ulmer (electric guitar), Jamaaledeen Tacuma (electric bass) and Denardo Coleman (drums). From the album Tales of Captain Black (1979).

James Blood Ulmer is and American blues, jazz and free funk guitarist, and singer who uses a Gibson Byrland guitar. Normally, free jazz has not been played by many guitarists, and those who have done so have sought their inspiration in rock. However, Ulmer is an exception, since he has developed his style from African American traditions, being also a follower of Ornette Coleman’s harmolodic theory, which eliminates the harmonic component of jazz in favor of a freely improvised, non-tonal or quasi-modal counterpoint.

Ulmer’s melodic lines are based on the accent of a soul-jazz tenor saxophonist. In addition, he is also influenced by rock, but mixed with blues, funk and free jazz elements. His style is expressive, unorthodox and dissonant blending Coleman’s harmolodic approach with Jimi Hendrix’s psychedelic fusion and full-blown amplification. Ulmer began his musical career playing with funk and soul-jazz bands from 1959 to 1967. In 1971 he moved to New York, where he worked for nine months at Minton’s Playhouse and played with the Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Joe Henderson and Paul Bley.

The composition begins with a collective improvisation in which Ulmer takes the lead at a medium tempo. It cannot be classified in any specific musical genre, but each musician makes his contribution in a controlled manner creating an unusual and eccentric environment. Then Ulmer makes his solo based on erratic notes creating incoherent phrases that seem to lead nowhere. Afterwards Coleman returns, but as a mere accompanist also making a discourse without any melodic or harmonic structure and at the end they support each other finishing without prior notice.