Don Cherry

Many avant garde jazz men have attempted compositions on the scale and of the form of the great classical composers.  Don Cherry is a fine example.  The two CD set The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Don Cherry presents this work.  It is very hard, very compelling music.  You can find part of this music on Cherry's recording Complete Communion. 

I am playing the title cut from that album.  Here is the lineup: 

• Bass – Henry Grimes, J.-F. Jenny-Clark (tracks: 1-3, 2-1)
• Cornet – Don Cherry
• Drums – Edward Blackwell*
• Tenor Saxophone – Leandro "Gato" Barbieri* (tracks: 1-1 to 2-1)
• Tenor Saxophone, Piccolo Flute – Pharoah Sanders (tracks: 1-3 to 2-6)
• Vibraphone, Piano – Karl Berger (tracks: 1-3, 2-1) 

'Complete Communion' is a marvelous articulation of the soul of jazz along a number of traditional dimensions.  Like a lot of Cherry's music, it is drum heavy, but everyone gets their time here.  I really dig this music.

Many jazz fans will know Cherry only from his album with Coltrane: The Avant Garde.   I am playing 'Bemsha Swing', a great Monk tune, and 'Focus on Sanity', an Ornette Coleman composition.  Here is the lineup from that recording:

• Bass – Charlie Haden (tracks: 1, 3), Percy Heath (tracks: 2, 4, 5)
• Drums – Ed Blackwell
• Soprano Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 3)
• Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5)
• Trumpet – Don Cherry