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Don Cherry in StockholmDon planted seeds wherever he travelled. These seeds are still growing all over the world. Don´s influence, in fact, on the present flourishing World Music scene is enormous. Don played with many musicians as well as non-musicians on countlessly different types of instruments including the voice. Don had this magical spirit that just said "Do it" and it was very hard not to be affected by this spirit &endash; it was almost impossible. Don planted some very productive seeds in Sweden, his "home-base" (1965 - 1985), both in the capital city, Stockholm, and Tågarps Skola (an old wooden Village School in the north of Skåne, a southern Province, surrounded by forest, lakes and stone walls). Bernt Rosengren, Okay Temiz, Johnny Dyani, Maffy Falay, Bengt Berger, Christer Bothén, Sune Spångberg, Nenneh Cherry, Eagle Eye Cherry, Jan Cherry, David Cherry, Christian Cherry are some of these seeds and there are many more. They all learned a lot about music and life from Don, but above all a certain spiritual well being. Don in his turn learned a lot from his musical companions and much of his development into so called World Music was influenced by them, not forgetting, of course, his determined and inquisitive manner that got the ball rolling.
After his visit in 1965 with the Albert Ayler Quartet he decided to stay in Sweden. He had actually played earlier in Sweden with Sonny Rollins in 1963 and then Archie Shepp later in 1963, so he wasn´t a complete stranger to the then flourishing Swedish jazz scene. The most prestigious venue in Stockholm at that time was The Golden Circle, which along with The Montmartre Jazz Club in Copenhagen were two of the best venues on the European jazz scene. In those days musicians/groups played for several days, sometimes weeks, at the same venue (so unlike today´s one night stands), thus allowing both the musicians and the audience a chance to relax and get to know each other. Most importantly the musicians themselves had a chance to open up, experiment, explore and to exchange ideas. This was a very fruitful period in the continuing history of music. Naturally, Don didn´t play exclusively at The Golden Circle or The Montmartre as he played at numerous other clubs where musicians gathered. Luckily for us these sessions were recorded. I hope you enjoy them. Don Cherry will be long remembered in the Swedish world of music. Don Cherry will be long remembered in all music circles all over the world. May he rest in peace. Om mani padme hum Steve Roney Stockholm May 1997
The Music and the Musicians
1968 was the year when protest and desire for change
reached a peak internationally. The feeling of revolution
was in the air. Traditional norms, social, political and
artistic were challenged, young people were experimenting
with new "life styles" religious, marxistic,
psychologic. Bernt Rosengren It was at this time this recording was made, 15th of May
1968 at The A.B.F. House in Stockholm. The energy and
enthusiasm of this informal rehearsal is a reflection of the
spirit of the time. 2. Brotherhood Suite II
Maffy Falay
The American architect Buckminster Fuller was exhibiting one of his famous Geodesic Domes at Stockholm's Modern Museum in the summer of 1971, and Don was engaged to do a series of concerts in it. Don enjoyed this environment as is evident by this beautiful, lyrical, meditative solo, that exposes Don's contemplative nature. Besides playing pocket trumpet, Don hits the gong and also "plays" the piano by blowing over its strings to set them in vibration while the piano pedal is pressed down with a stone. This recording was made 3rd of July 1971. 4:07 Leif Wennerstrom 4. Pannonica/Skippy This recording was made 26th August 1974 at a short-lived jazz-rock club in Stockholm's harbour called Fregatten. The personell is the same as "Brotherhood Suite II" with the addition of the pianist Henno Tooming. Pannonica and Skippy, two Thelonious Monk compositions, are here examined, dissected and recombined in this memorable session. 11:25
Bernt Rosengren, Don Torbjorn Hultkrantz Unconventional and unexpected moments are created by
Bernt and Don switching instruments giving the composition a
greater orchestral dimension. It has basically three
movements. In the first opening swift short phrases
introduce a bass and gong interlude followed by bamboo flute
and oboe, trumpet, tenor and bells. Don interrupts the suite
and presents the musicians then continues Dollar
Brand´s "Bra Joe", this time on piano with Bernt on
flute. The last movement has its humorous and playful
ironies with bird calls and even Don whistling at the end. A
very memorable session luckily captured at the Sergel
Theatre 26th of July, 1968. Don plays pocket trumpet, piano
(voice) diverse bamboo flutes, bird whistles and gong. Bernt
plays tenor, flute, bamboo flute and oboe, Torbjörn
Hultcrantz bass and Leif Wennerström drums.
34:55 Harvey Cropper Stockholm, May 1997
Gilbert Matthews Quartet - Hothouse / Per Henrik Wallin Trio - Blues for Allan / Bosse Wärmell - The Golden View / Börje Fredriksson - Progressive Movements / Don Cherry - Brotherhood Suite / Krister Andersson - About Time and Concord and Time Supported by the Swedish National Council of Cultural Affairs
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1. A.B.F.
This recording was made 22nd of August 1969 at the Sergel
Theatre in central Stockholm. The piece opens in joyous
tumult with Don´s trumpet soaring in the highest
register in a texture of interlaced solos and charging
cadences. The horns emerge for brief statements over the
undulating rhythm patterns with ethnic echoes. This leads to
a subdued interlude where bass and piano take over the flow
and move it forward to the bright unison finale. The group
is the same as in the preceding piece with the exception of
Maffy Falay´s trumpet. Besides the pocket trumpet Don
also plays flute and piano.11:08
3. In A Geodesic Dome 
5. Brotherhood Suite I
This composition´s mood shifts from very relaxed to
heated intensity. A mosaic of colors and textures reflecting
different influences, Indian ragas, Turkish folk music and
Ornette Coleman's "Harmolodi". Even Dollar Brand´s
(Abdullah Ibrahim) "Bra Joe" is injected with its South
African touch which gives this composition a "World Music"
presence.