Final answer:
Coleman's quartet was likely unorthodox due to their innovative approach to jazz that defied conventional harmonic structures, much in the way modernist musicians like Arnold Schoenberg subverted traditional Western musical expectations.
Step-by-step explanation:
What made Coleman's quartet unorthodox? This question seems to delve into the realms of music history and the innovations that challenged traditional forms of music in the twentieth century.
When speculating about Coleman's quartet, one could consider the influence of jazz and modernist music, which often broke from past traditions with new scales, rhythms, and an embrace of dissonance—a move away from the familiar sounds and expectations of Western audiences.
Modernism in music, as with Arnold Schoenberg's atonal compositions or the polyrhythmic and improvisational styles of jazz, sought to redefine musical language. Such unorthodox explorations reflected a broader cultural shift towards experimentation and personal expression in arts.
Figures like Ornette Coleman, who is not directly mentioned in the reference materials provided but is a known jazz innovator, often embodied this shift with his avant-garde approach to jazz, which included a rejection of established harmonic patterns and an emphasis on free improvisation.
Coleman's quartet could be seen as unorthodox due to such innovative strategies that defied the conventional structures of jazz and Western music as a whole.
Understanding Coleman's quartet's unorthodoxy requires an appreciation for the Modernist movement's impact on music, the subversion of expectations, and the integrity and artistic vision behind such groundbreaking work.