Ornette Coleman (1930–2015) was a pioneering American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, renowned as a principal founder of the free jazz movement. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he began his musical journey in local rhythm-and-blues bands before relocating to Los Angeles in the 1950s. There, he developed his revolutionary "harmolodic" theory, emphasizing improvisation free from traditional harmonic structures. His seminal 1959 album, *The Shape of Jazz to Come*, challenged conventional jazz norms and solidified his status as an avant-garde innovator. Throughout his career, Coleman received numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2007 for his album *Sound Grammar*. ([britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ornette-Coleman?utm_source=openai))