{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Virgin Beauty | type = studio | artist = Ornette Coleman | cover = Virgin Beauty.jpg | alt = | released = February 18, 1988 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Jazz | length = 44:49 | label = Portrait | producer = Denardo Coleman | prev_title = In All Languages | prev_year = 1987 | next_title = Tone Dialing | next_year = 1995 }} '''''Virgin Beauty''''' is an album by Ornette Coleman and his Prime Time ensemble. It was released by Portrait Records in 1988.
Three of the album's tracks feature guitarist Jerry Garcia, whose involvement in the recording dates back to September 1987, when Coleman, his son Denardo, and Cecil Taylor attended a Grateful Dead concert.<ref name="trager_68">{{cite book |last=Trager |first=Oliver |title=The American Book of the Dead |publisher=Fireside |year=1997 |pages=68 }}</ref> After the concert, Coleman invited Garcia to the recording session for ''Virgin Beauty''.<ref name="trager_68" /> In February 1993, Prime Time opened for the Dead at a show in Oakland, and Coleman participated in the Dead's "space jam" portion of the concert.<ref name="trager_68" />
==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="Allmusic"/> | rev2 = ''Christgau's Record Guide'' | rev2Score = A<ref>[http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=2283 CG: Ornette Coleman]. ''robertchristgau.com''. Retrieved March 4, 2020.</ref> | rev5 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|year=1992|last1=DeCurtis|first1=Anthony|author-link1=Anthony DeCurtis|last2=Henke|first2=James|last3=George-Warren|first3=Holly|page=152|publisher=Random House|isbn=0679737294|edition=3rd}}</ref> |rev4 = ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings'' |rev4score = {{Rating|3|4}}<ref name="Penguin">{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=276}}</ref> | rev3 = Tom Hull | rev3Score = A−<ref>{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=n.d.|url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/nm/shop/jazz-40s.html|title=Jazz (1940–50s) (Reference)|website=tomhull.com|access-date=March 4, 2020}}</ref> }} ''Virgin Beauty'' reached the number two position on ''Billboard'''s jazz chart and sold more in its first year of release than any previous Coleman record.<ref name="rs">{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ornette-colemans-time-64196 |title=Ornette Coleman's Time |last=Fricke |first=David |date=March 9, 1989 |website=Rolling Stone |access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref>
In his review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow noted that "the music is frequently exciting, but will take several listens to absorb. Worth investigating".<ref name="Allmusic">{{AllMusic|first=Scott|last=Yanow|class=album|title=Ornette Coleman & Prime Time – ''Virgin Beauty'' > Review|id=mw0000195815|access-date=December 5, 2014}}</ref>
David Fricke of ''Rolling Stone'' commented: "More than a few Deadheads invested in ''Virgin Beauty'' solely because of Jerry Garcia's presence on three tracks. But it's a safe bet they were pleasantly surprised by Prime Time's infectious propulsion and the emotive strength and striking warmth of Coleman's sax statements."<ref name="rs" />
Author Michael Stephans remarked: "''Virgin Beauty'' is filled with many bright moments, a vibrant spirit, and an almost irrepressible earthiness. It is one of a number of good starting points for the new listener who wants to know more about Ornette's Prime Time and its musical evolution, with the added bonus of choosing any number of tracks and dancing to them!"<ref>{{cite book |last=Stephans |first=Michael |title=Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener's Companion |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2017 |pages=87 }}</ref>
==Track listing== # "3 Wishes" – 4:23 # "Bourgeois Boogie" – 5:11 # "Happy Hour" – 4:49 # "Virgin Beauty" – 3:34 # "Healing the Feeling" – 5:21 # "Singing in the Shower" – 4:26 # "Desert Players" – 4:24 # "Honeymooners" – 4:24 # "Chanting" – 3:01 # "Spelling the Alphabet" – 1:30 # "Unknown Artist" – 4:12
==Personnel== * Ornette Coleman – saxophone, trumpet, violin * Denardo Coleman – drums, keyboards, percussion * Charles Ellerbie – guitar * Jerry Garcia – Guitar on "3 Wishes", "Singing in the Shower", "Desert Players" * Albert MacDowell – double bass * Bern Nix – guitar * Chris Walker – bass * Calvin Weston – drums
== References == {{reflist}} {{Ornette Coleman}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1988 albums Category:Ornette Coleman albums Category:Portrait Records albums