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As a bit of a introduction (and to blow my own trumpet), regular readers will probably have guessed that I’m very proud to contribute to recent Jazz Chronicles sessions hosted by Simon S (and ably assisted by Martin Gordon) and I’d say Don’s ‘Mahakali’ was a highlight of my set last weekend along with another Atlantic re-issue, the title track from Joe Zawinul’s album Money In The Pocket proving the past is a relevant today as was when these masters originally recorded this ‘new’ material.

Cherry’s Here & Now is definitely as case in point. The album starts with the track called ‘Mahakali’ that’s pretty close to the spirit of Alice Coltrane’s ‘Journey In Satchidananda’; it starts so quiet and gentle but before you know it, it breaks into a hard jazz-rock-funker as Don moves from playing the conch shell to his favourite trumpet.

From the album cover, Don is certainly dressed for the ‘lotus position’ with his ‘trademark’ pocket trumpet resting on knee. But this is 1976! Your d’n’b is provided by Lenny White and Marcus Miller (who last year re-visited Miles Davis’ Tutu as part of the London Jazz Festival) so there’s the funk but there’s also assorted percussion (including producer Narada Michael Walden on tympani), Ronald Dean Miller on rhythm guitar and Stan Samole on lead guitar who does a mean Todd Rundgren impression; later taken up by Steve Hillage post Gong. Try Don’s jazz poetry on ‘Universal Mother’ in a fusion-hippy-trip where Santana guitar solos meet Miles Davis and Alice Coltrane (harp by Lois Colin) and Chris Carter of ‘Spaceways’ keyboards.

But there’s more than just two killer tracks. As the sound of the crickets fade on ‘Karapa Chenno’ the funk-soul brother gets busy on percussion and there’s a ‘world’ feel (Fela/Funk/Fusion) with Don’s sublime solo and his vocal chant/skat with Cheryl Alexander.

It’s a shame that the trio of Cherry (flute), Sammy Figueroa (congas), Raphael Cruz (percussion) on ‘Eagle Eye’ lasts just shy of a minute as the potential for a jazz-dance monster is all to clear to hear and with Colin’s return on harp of ‘Surrender Rose’, they drift into some lame FM Radio instrumental.

But that’s more only downer here, as when you’re in a groove, stick with it I say. The track ‘California’ utilises the sound of the ocean (courtesy of “Mother Earth”) and whilst we in a contemplative mood, ‘Buddha’s Blues’ is in an upbeat funky mode with Cherry on both trumpet and flute (performed with equal fluidity and style).

Now, the set ends on a big un as ‘Journey Of Milarepa/Shanti/The Ending Movement - Liberation (From Welkin Of Infinity)’ (at just over 10 minutes) is all of the above with Cruz, Figueroa and Steve Jordon (drums) excelling themselves on the first part at least)..

Somewhat different to the Don Cherry ten years earlier (see Live At The Cafe Monmartre 1966 on EST) and just a quick word on the sleeve notes by Paul Bradshaw (he of Straight No Chaser, RIP) that (amongst other things) points out the one man missing from Ornette Coleman’s Meltdown festival last year was Don Cherry.

Cherry died in Málaga, Spain in 1995 aged 58 and set a new benchmark with Coleman with the Something Else!!!! in 1958. In addition to Cherry’s own solo body of work, he was much in demand as a hired trumpet (playing on a with a wide variety of people such as Dudu Pukwana, Abdullah Ibrahim, Lou Reed, Ian Drury and the aforementioned Steve Hillage and Todd Rundgren).

On a general note, Atlantic Masters must be one of the most consistent re-issue series going on the jazz front going and if I get invited back to Jazz Chronicles, there’s every likelihood that every track will eventually be played and not just ‘Mahakali’.

And now our ears have been opened up to the sounds of 70s Cherry, we’re told to check out another album Brown Rice - can we handle it? Well, I’m up for the Here & Now at the dawn of seventies jazz-world-fusion-funk: So whether it was on the pocket trumpet or cornet, Don was a true [Atlantic] master.

Reviewed: Don Cherry - Here & Now (Atlantic) Cat. No. 8122-79821-9 Release date: 15th February 2010
Tracklisting:
1. Mahakali (9:52)
2. Universal Mother (6:42)
3. Karmapa Chenno (7:15)
4. California (2:52)
5. Buddha’s Blues (3:39)
6. Eagle Eyes (0:56)
7. Surrender Rose (3:32)
8. Journey To Milarepa (10:17)

Links:
Don Cherry biography at www.jazzinstitut.de
zawinulmusic.com
www.myspace.com/joezawinul
Bill Frisell/ Overtone Quartet/ Marcus Miller, London Jazz Festival by Mike Hobart, November 23 2009 www.ft.com
www.myspace.com/futuristicamusic
6th February 2010 - Simon S, Martin Gordon & Gerry Hectic : Jazz Chronicles @ Sixty Million Postcards, Bournemouth 3 to 8pm www.sixtymillionpostcards.com
following on from Electric Conversation, Emanative and K15 (definitely one to watch) together with the ever present Martin Gordon (Brownswood).