NEW RELEASES - DON CHERRY, VOLKER KRIEGEL, DVK TRIO

DON CHERRY – HEAR AND NOW

Important 70s work from Don Cherry – one of the first albums to bring his overseas experiments to a larger US audience! The set builds nicely off of styles that Don forged earlier in France and Scandinavia – a freer style of music than his work with Ornette Coleman, and a richly organic groove that builds up strongly from the bottom, often with elements of world music settled in alongside the jazz – but there's also some funkier moments here too, a bit like the Brown Rice album, but looser overall! The groups on most numbers are relatively large and spiritual – almost like Alice Coltrane at times, but a bit more electric and funky at others – and players include Collin Walcott on sitar, Michael Brecker on saxes, Cliff Carter on keyboards, Lenny White and Tony Williams on drums, Lois Colin on harp, and Raphael Cruz on percussion. Cherry himself plays conch shells, bells, and flute in addition to his usual trumpet – and he even sings a bit on a few numbers, in a soulful, scatting sort of groove. Narada Michael Walden produced, and the whole set's got a very righteous feel – with tracks that include "Universal Mother", "Buddah's Blues", "Eagle Eye", "Mahakali", "Karmapa Chenno", "Surrender Rose", and "Journey Of Milarepa". ~ Dusty Groove

VOLKER KRIEGEL – LOST TAPES: MAINZ 1963 TO 1969

Incredible early work from German guitarist Volker Kriegel – rare recordings that easily stand strong alongside his classic work for the MPS label – including his trippy sides with the Dave Pike set! A number of tracks here preface his work with Pike – and feature vibes from German players Fritz Hartschuh and Claudio Szenkar – showing that Volker's guitar had already found a great place alongside the chromes and tones of the electric instrument – a perfect match for the young guitarist's freewheeling style and strong sense of rhythm! Some of the best cuts here hint at the trippier styles Volker would later hit at MPS – and a good number of them also show his strong ear for songwriting too – that love of a playful groove that really makes Kriegel very different than any other jazz guitarist we can think of. Titles include "Na Na Imboro", "Morandi", "Nyleve", "Tea & Rum", "Vian De", "Traffic Jam", "Little Pear", "Five By Four", "Soul Eggs", "Somewhat Somewhere Somehow", "Slums On Wheels", "Sitting On My Knees", and "Pluns". ~ Dusty Groove

DVK TRIO – SCH8LHOF

The DKV in all its fierce, raw power – a blistering onslaught of sounds from Ken Vandermark on clarinet and tenor, Mats Gustafsson on tenor and baritone sax, Kent Kessler on bass, Massimo Pupillo on electric bass, and both Hamid Drake and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums! Although all players are capable of more sensitive sounds, the DKV is where they really like to let loose – especially Vandermark and Gustafsson, who prove again that they're still some of the most dynamic players of their generation – or, honestly, of any generation of avant jazz as well! Titles include "All In" and "All Out" – the latter of which spills over both sides of the record. ~ Dusty Groove