Jazz Articles about Don Cherry

About Don Cherry

Album Review

Don Cherry, who passed away in 1995 at age 59, was a world musician long before the term became fashionable. Two recent early '70s reissues - Orient and Blue Lake (both previously Japan-only releases), help to solidify Cherry as not only one of the greatest (pocket) trumpeters/cornetists that jazz has known, but also one of its most well-rounded musicians. His global approach and experimentations on Orient (1971), two live dates with separate trios, is supplemented through one ...

243

Album Review

Albert Ayler: The Copenhagen Tapes

Read "The Copenhagen Tapes" reviewed by Derek Taylor

by Derek Taylor
December 2, 2002

Albert Ayler's recorded legacy remains woefully scant, especially for a figure of his musical stature and reach. Coupled to this comparative paucity is the fact that the bulk of his recordings from live concert settings where the acoustics and engineering were often suspect. Prime culprits arose out of his iconoclastic reputation and the general stigma levied toward free jazz in the Sixties. 21st century listeners are the worse off for it. Fortunately, further documents of his artistry do exist and ...

317

Album Review

Ornette Coleman: Something Else!!!! - The Music Of Ornette Coleman

Read "Something Else!!!! - The Music Of Ornette Coleman" reviewed by AAJ Staff

by AAJ Staff
December 1, 1998

Here it is: Ornette's first recording, containing his most conventional compositions, one ("The Blessing") written in 1951. Even so, it came only after a long period of struggle ("...most musicians didn't take to me; they said I didn't know the changes and was out of tune.") He was an elevator operator in an L.A. department store; he'd take the elevator to the top floor and practice for hours. He was about to return to Forth Worth when Red Mitchell heard ...