A remarkable piece of Don Cherry’s musical history is finally coming to light with Sunrise – Live in Ypsilanti, MI (1977), a previously unofficially circulating concert that receives its first authorized release from Wewantsounds on November 6, 2026.
Recorded live on March 5, 1977, at Pease Auditorium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Sunrise captures Cherry during one of the most adventurous periods of his career. The concert brings together Cherry with percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Collin Walcott and vocalist Leon Thomas, with members of the influential ensemble Oregon joining for part of the performance.
What makes the recording particularly significant is the rarity of the collaboration. Cherry, Walcott and Thomas are documented performing together here in what is described as their only known recorded concert appearance as a trio. The performance also arrives only weeks after Cherry participated in the recording of Walcott’s ECM album Grazing Dreams.
For Cherry, the late 1970s were a period of continued exploration of what he called his “Organic Music” philosophy. His music increasingly embraced sounds, instruments and traditions from around the world, particularly Eastern and African influences. On Sunrise, he moves between pocket trumpet, the West African doussn’gouni, flute, percussion and voice, creating music that moves beyond conventional jazz categories into an immersive, spiritual soundscape.
Walcott was an ideal musical partner for Cherry. His work with tabla, sitar, congas, hammered dulcimer and percussion brought another dimension of global musical language to the performance. Thomas adds his unmistakable vocal presence, including the distinctive yodeling style that made him one of the most recognizable voices in spiritual jazz.
For part of the concert, they are joined by Oregon members Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless and Glen Moore. The combination is especially intriguing in retrospect, as the meeting of Cherry, Walcott and Thomas anticipates the cross-cultural musical exploration that would later emerge through CODONA, the groundbreaking trio formed by Cherry, Walcott and Nana Vasconcelos.
The recording itself has circulated among a small group of Don Cherry enthusiasts for years, but Sunrise gives the entire concert an official presentation. The newly remastered audio reportedly brings an unusually intimate quality to the performance, preserving the sense of being inside the auditorium as the musicians develop their hypnotic, free-flowing ideas.
The concert also has an interesting story behind it. Producer James Quinlan recalls that Leon Thomas arrived with Cherry as an unexpected guest. Thomas was not part of the original advertisement or contract, meaning the audience had no advance indication of what was about to take place. That spontaneous addition ultimately became one of the defining elements of the performance.
The music unfolds across four sides of the 2-LP set. The opening “Sunrise” runs more than 23 minutes, followed by the two-part “Doussn’ Gouni Fly,” “Eastern Flute Song” and the 20-minute “Holy River.” Together, the pieces document a performance built less around conventional song structures than around rhythm, texture, improvisation and sustained musical interaction.
The release also celebrates the creative partnership between Don Cherry and his wife, artist Moki Cherry. The front cover reproduces her striking 1975 Mandala tapestry, adding another dimension to an album that reflects the Cherrys' broader approach to combining music, visual art and global cultural influences.
New liner notes by writer Jason Weiss include a conversation with Quinlan, who provides firsthand recollections of the concert and its unexpected lineup. The album is licensed by the Don Cherry Estate and Quinlan, making this more than simply another archival jazz release: it is an authorized document of a particularly unusual moment in Cherry’s musical journey.
Sunrise – Live in Ypsilanti, MI (1977) will be released November 6, 2026, in a deluxe 2-LP gatefold edition, as well as on CD and digitally.
For listeners familiar with Don Cherry's work, the album offers another window into his constantly expanding musical vocabulary. For those discovering him for the first time, it provides a vivid example of why Cherry's influence has continued to grow long after his passing: his music was never confined by the boundaries of jazz, geography or tradition.
No comments:
Post a Comment