Well with Free Jazz, you have to accept that the spirit is flowing through these guys and they are just trying to give voice to it. Sometimes it's garbage and sometimes its sublime. Albert Ayler called it the Holy Ghost and that feeling of possession, when you are totally in the moment, is something any musician understands. I think when it's free, it's especially exciting because you are actually creating something out of the air. Still, as anyone who dabbles in 'Improvised' music knows, it can be a lot more fun to play than it is to listen to.
I think Coltrane in particular had a lot more structure to his free jazz. There was always a lot of thought behind everything he did. Remember that Ascension was recorded multiple times so it wasn't just improvised.
Someone else said to listen to Coltrane chronologically to help his later music make more sense. I think that is an excellent suggestion. I started with the Miles Davis quintet stuff and slowly moved on from there. One day I was listening to Ascension and I just got it. Oddly enough, I consider that very happy music - it rejuvenates me and makes me smile. What I love about jazz is that it's so rich with ideas, you can mine it forever.
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"I'm forever near a stereo saying, 'What the fook is this garbage?' And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers." - Nick Cave
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