Skies of America is an album by American saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman, released in 1972 by Columbia Records. It is a single-movement orchestral work composed by Coleman for the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Measham. It represents one of Coleman's first forays into large-scale orchestral composition, blending free jazz with elements of contemporary classical music.
The recording took place at Abbey Road Studios in London, featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. Coleman plays alto saxophone and trumpet, and also sings in some passages. The album was conceived as a symphonic suite exploring themes of identity, spirituality, and social criticism, reflecting the context of the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement in the United States.
Skies of America received mixed reviews upon its release but has since been reappraised as an innovative work that anticipated avant-garde jazz and fusion with classical music. The piece is characterized by its free structure, use of dissonance, and integration of collective improvisation within an orchestral framework. The album was reissued on CD in 1997 by Columbia/Legacy.