Don Cherry - Sunrise (Live in Ypsilanti 1977 with Collin Walcott, Leon Thomas & Oregon) (2026) [Hi-Res]

On March 5, 1977, at Pease Auditorium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Don Cherry, percussionist Collin Walcott (tabla, sitar, hammered dulcimer) and vocalist Leon Thomas played their only concert together. For part of the evening they were joined by members of Oregon: bassist Glen Moore, multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless and guitarist-pianist Ralph Towner. The five-piece set runs about 80 minutes and is built on meditative, hypnotic improvisations. It includes the 23-minute “Sunrise,” the two-part “Doussn’ Gouni Fly” (named after the West African hunter’s harp, the doussn’gouni), the flute-led “Eastern Flute Song,” and the 20-minute “Holy River.”

The recording circulated for years among collectors and Cherry devotees. In November 2026 the French label Wewantsounds is releasing it officially, licensed by the Don Cherry Estate and the concert’s producer, James Quinlan. The edition is a remastered double LP in a gatefold sleeve, mastered at Colorsound Studio in Paris from the original master tapes. The cover shows a 1975 mandala tapestry by Moki Cherry, the musician’s wife and longtime collaborator. The liner notes take the form of a conversation with the concert’s producer.

Tracklist:
01-01 Don Cherry - Sunrise [23:11]
01-02 Don Cherry - Doussn'Gouni Fly pt.1 [16:38]
01-03 Don Cherry - Doussn'Gouni Fly pt.2 [12:20]
01-04 Don Cherry - Eastern Flute Song [6:15]
01-05 Don Cherry - Holy River [20:05]