Coltrain, I have liked Ornette Coleman since I heard the opening notes of “Lonely Woman”. Have also liked Don Cherry a lot. And if my hifi info is correct, Haden had a Naim amp.
In terms of accessibility, it will be Take 5 (who doesn’t like a drum solo), kind of blue, ah um and shape of jazz. So it is natural we gravitate in that order. My “number of times played” would most likely be nearly reverse. Except I stopped listening to Mingus a little after reading about the famous Jimmy Knepper incident. No point glorifying his violence as artistic temperament.
Wasn’t referring to Coleman’s accessibility, per se. Just not a fan of his music, or Free Jazz for that matter. While I’m a huge Coltrane fan, stuff like Living Space and Stellar Regions don’t do it for me. And I can only listen to Ascension once every couple of years. Yet, I’m totally smitten by the likes of Cecil Taylor! Go figure.
I confess I’m a Mingus fanboy, though. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is a masterpiece and one of my all time favourites.