Don Cherry - 1970 - Live in Ankara

Don Cherry 

1970

Live in Ankara

01. Gandalf's Travels 5:10

02. Ornette's Concept 2:20

03. Ornette's Tune 2:35

04. St. John & The Dragon 2:02

06. Efeler 2:31

07. Anadolu Havasi 3:02

08. The Discovery Of Bhupala 3:25

09. Water Boy 1:32

10. Yaz Geldi 3:00

11. Tamzara 1:03

12. Kara Deniz 1:12

13. Köcekce 1:11

14. Man On The Moon 2:56

15. The Creator Has A Masterplan 5:13

16. Two Flutes 2:50

Arranged By, Collected By – Maffy Falay (tracks: A5, A6, B2 to B5)

Bass – Selçuk Sun

Drums, Percussion – Okay Temiz

Percussion, Tenor Saxophone – Irfan Sümer

Trumpet, Zurna [Trumpet-zürna], Piano, Vocals, Flute – Don Cherry

Excellent stuff – and one of Don Cherry's first global jazz experiments on record! The set is a super-hip concert performance recorded at the US Embassy in Turkey, featuring a band of eastern-flavored players that includes Okay Temiz on percussion, Selcuk Sun on bass, and Irfan Sumer on tenor. Tracks are shorter and a bit tighter than some of Cherry's other work from the early 70s – but they also have a strong amount of world influences, and the record is perhaps one of his greatest achievements at cross-breeding musical cultures.

Recorded in November 1969 at the US Embassy, Live In Ankara saw the adventurous jazz trumpeter Don Cherry performing with saxophonist Irfan Sümer, bassist Selçuk Sun, and drummer Okay Temiz, with arrangements by trumpeter Maffy Falay, who had introduced Cherry to Temiz in Stockholm. Mostly comprised of Cherry originals and adaptations of Turkish folk songs, there are one-off takes of compositions by Ornette Coleman and Pharoah Sanders as well, the sparse musical ensemble giving Cherry ample room for soloing as they drift between the sounds of tradition and experimentation. A must for all Don Cherry fans.