''Mu'', First Part and Second Part, is a pair of albums by multi-instrumentalist
Don Cherry
Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...
. The albums, which also feature drummer
Ed Blackwell
Edward Joseph Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992) was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, known for his extensive, influential work with Ornette Coleman.
Biography
Blackwell's early career began in New Orleans ...
, were recorded in August 1969 at Studio Saravah in Paris, and were released by
BYG Records
BYG Records was a French record label known for the Actuel series specializing in free jazz. However, the label released a handful of non-jazz recordings by artists such as Musica Elettronica Viva, Freedom and Gong.
History
BYG Records was foun ...
as part of their Actuel series in 1969 (First Part) and 1970 (Second Part). In 1971, BYG released both parts together as a single box set. ''Mu'' was one of the first efforts in what would come to be known as
world music.
In December 1977, Cherry and Blackwell presented a concert at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
called "Mu, Part Three."
Reception
In a review for
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
, Brian Olewnick wrote: "This classic pair of recordings... captures Don Cherry near the height of his global quest to absorb as much music as possible from different cultures and funnel it back through his jazz sensibility. It's one of the earliest, and most successful, experiments in what would later come to be known as world music... The ''Mu'' sessions have long held legendary status and it's not difficult to hear why. Highly recommended."
The authors of ''
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' is a reference work containing an encyclopedic directory of jazz recordings on CD which were (at the time of publication) currently available in Europe or the United States. The first nine editions were compiled ...
'' called the recordings "an exhilarating musical experience," and stated: "This one never fails to delight...
herry'srange is astonishing, everything from bright New Orleans vamps and marches to African songs, folksy Americana to totally free passages."
Robert Palmer, writing for ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', noted that the albums "were of real importance. They announced a new, world-embracing esthetic for jazz, for while they included improvising in a Coleman-inspired vein, they also reached out to include rhythm patterns, scales and instruments from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific."
Author Ekkehard Jost commented: "Stripped of all frills and governed solely by the creative will and musical experience of Cherry as 'agent,' and the sensitivity of Blackwell as 'reagent,' these duo recordings afford a unique view of the quintessence of Cherry's music."
The authors of ''Music Is Rapid Transportation'' wrote: "''Mu''... represents a powerful early example of world-jazz fusion... The way in which Ed Blackwell... can draw out dozens of referents and subtly coax Pan-African sounds from his kit is remarkable... Throughout there is an engaging energy and plenty of space for improvisation."
Track listings
All music composed by Don Cherry.
First Part
# "Brilliant Action" – 8:50
# "Omejelo" – 7:25
# "Total Vibration (Part 1)" – 3:00
# "Total Vibration (Part 2)" – 6:00
# "Sun of the East" – 7:30
# "Terrestrial Beings" – 4:42
Second Part
# "The Mysticism of my Sound" – 4:00
# "Medley: Dollar Brand / Spontaneous Composing / Exert, Man on the Moon" – 3:15
# "Bamboo Night" – 6:07
# "Teo-Teo-Can" – 6:30
# "Smiling Faces Going Places" – 5:00
# "Psycho-Drama" – 2:45
# "Medley: Theme Albert Heath / Theme Dollar Brand / Baby Rest, Time For..." – 3:55
Personnel
*
Don Cherry
Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...
– trumpet, piano, flute, voice, bells, percussion
*
Ed Blackwell
Edward Joseph Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992) was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, known for his extensive, influential work with Ornette Coleman.
Biography
Blackwell's early career began in New Orleans ...
– drums, percussion, bells
References
{{Reflist
1969 albums
1970 albums
Don Cherry (trumpeter) albums
BYG Actuel albums