DON CHERRY Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Sonny Rollins' first live performance with Don Cherry, which took place at the Village Gate in Greenwich Village, NYC, in 1962, has long been talked about in hushed tones - in part because recordings of three tracks from the extended performance appeared on 1963's Our Man In Jazz LP. Now, for the first time, the entirety of that recording - with Rollins on tenor sax, Cherry on cornet, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Billy Higgins on drums -has been released. It's a beast, with over five hours of hard-bop and improv jazz stretched across six CDs. There are multiple takes and unedited versions of the tracks that appeared on Our Man In Jazz, plus tons of superb extended workouts, on-the-fly gems and energetic improvisations. In other words, it should be an essential purchase for all serious jazz fans.

Review: Way back in 1979, Japanese composer, bandleader and percussionist Masahiko Togahashi headed to Paris for a set of recording sessions with bassist Charlie Haden and trumpeter Don Cherry. Under the watchful eye of Martin Meissonnier - then Don Cherry's right-hand man - the trio recorded 'Son of Soil', a magical and spiritually enriching set that mixed elements of free-jazz improvisation with Japanese musical motifs, Togahashi's sublime percussion work, Haden's fast-fingered bass-played, and Cherry's mastery of various brass and woodwind instrumentation. The set was initially only released in Japan, so this worldwide reissue - accompanied by a booklet featuring extensive liner notes, previously unpublished photos and new interviews - is very welcome.