Don Cherry: Brotherhood Suite

From 1965-85 trumpeter Don Cherry was based in Sweden, where the tracks on this CD were cut between 1969 and 1974. He wrote four of the five selections here. A medley of Thelonious Monk’s “Pannonica” and “Skippy” is also included and Cherry interpolates Dollar Brand’s “Bra Joe” into his “Brotherhood Suite 1.”

Playing with Cherry, who doubles on flute and piano, are several gifted Swedish musicians, the most notable of which is tenorman Bernt Rosengren, who also appears on flute and oboe. This is rich music with colorful improvised work and memorable solos.

Rosengren, before working in a free jazz context, was a very good post bop soloist. He’s powerful and creative here; there’s some John Coltrane influence in him, but he definitely has developed his own style and his solid musical grounding serves him well.

Usually Cherry plays heatedly, bursting with ideas. However, his most impressive work occurs during “In a Geodetic Dome,” a beautiful piece on which his spare, muted soloing is as lovely as anything he’s recorded.

Originally Published November 1, 1997