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Saxophonist Coleman decided a long time ago that he could not play like other jazzmen, but it was not until recently that he found anybody who would listen to him—or even play with him. Born 30 years ago in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of a sometime baseball player and singer, he taught himself how to play the sax when he was 14, went on the road with smalltime bands. Once in Baton Rouge, a crowd so detested his playing that they smashed his sax, and Bandleader Pee Wee Crayton hired him and then wound up paying him not to play. Now enjoying his first real success, Coleman remains confused by the storm his music has created. Says he: "I just play what I hear and what makes sense."