Don Cherry Mu, First Part

Don Cherry's 1969 Album Mu, First Part on 180g LP. Restored & Remastered from the Original Tapes.

Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell, graduates of the revolutionary Ornette Coleman quartet, are in perfect accord on this seminal free jazz set, recorded in Paris in 1969. The emphasis, as on all Don Cherry releases, is on the life-giving, often magical qualities of pure sound, created on instruments ranging from Indian and bamboo flutes to his signature pocket trumpet. 

What’s also significant is that a composition like “Mu” was built entirely on improvisation, not just the solos, but the entire piece. All the parts played by the two musicians, the order and even the duration arose from within the session itself, and without anything being preconceived.

Don Cherry’s first chapter of his legendary “Mu” recordings has never sounded more vital or compelling. “This album is a masterclass of improvisation delivered by two musicians of impeccable integrity who play what they felt and heard with complete freedom, and at exactly the right time.” - John Masouri