Jazz legend Ornette Coleman has filed a lawsuit over a 2014 studio album that bears his name, alleging that it was released without his consent or knowledge.
According to a report in Rolling Stone, Ornette Coleman claims that the album New Vocabulary was recorded in 2009 after Coleman invited Antibalas' trumpeter Jordan McLean and drummer Amir Ziv to his house to “share his knowledge" of jazz.
McLean later asked if he could release the recordings, Coleman refused, but McLean allegedly released the recordings with extra instrumentation as New Vocabulary.
“Without plaintiff's knowledge or consent, defendants McLean and Ziv made audio recordings of one or more live musical performances by plaintiff," Coleman's lawyers state in the complaint. “Without plaintiff's consent, defendants have reproduced, communicated to the public, publicly distributed, sold, transmitted and trafficked in copies…of the infringing recordings under the title New Vocabulary."
Coleman's suit also takes exception to the additional instrumentation on the album, noting that individuals on the record were not present at the original session, likely referring to pianist Adam Holzman, Rolling Stone said. Coleman's suit claims that the album is likely to mislead fans into thinking that he approved or is affiliated with the album.
“As a direct consequence of defendant's wrongful conduct, plaintiff has suffered and is suffering irreparable harm and has sustained substantial injury, loss and damage," the suit said.
Coleman has not released an album since 2006's award winning Sound Grammar.
According to a report in Rolling Stone, Ornette Coleman claims that the album New Vocabulary was recorded in 2009 after Coleman invited Antibalas' trumpeter Jordan McLean and drummer Amir Ziv to his house to “share his knowledge" of jazz.
McLean later asked if he could release the recordings, Coleman refused, but McLean allegedly released the recordings with extra instrumentation as New Vocabulary.
“Without plaintiff's knowledge or consent, defendants McLean and Ziv made audio recordings of one or more live musical performances by plaintiff," Coleman's lawyers state in the complaint. “Without plaintiff's consent, defendants have reproduced, communicated to the public, publicly distributed, sold, transmitted and trafficked in copies…of the infringing recordings under the title New Vocabulary."
Coleman's suit also takes exception to the additional instrumentation on the album, noting that individuals on the record were not present at the original session, likely referring to pianist Adam Holzman, Rolling Stone said. Coleman's suit claims that the album is likely to mislead fans into thinking that he approved or is affiliated with the album.
“As a direct consequence of defendant's wrongful conduct, plaintiff has suffered and is suffering irreparable harm and has sustained substantial injury, loss and damage," the suit said.
Coleman has not released an album since 2006's award winning Sound Grammar.
