AN UNINVITED party guest put slight damper on the 50th annual Monterey Jazz Festival.

Coleman topped off the afternoon session on the main stage, performing under blue skies and a blazing sun. Working with his adventuresome three-bass quintet, the 77-year-old jazz icon made some of the most difficult and rewarding music of the festival. And, as with most of his shows, the music wasn’t for everyone. Many of those who filled the grandstands, drawn by the chance to see a true jazz legend, steadily vacated their seats as Coleman lived up to his legacy as a free jazz pioneer.

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