This is one of my favorite records. Incredible ensemble (trio). And if I may, a totally radical album cover. It looks like waves, or a bedsheet of brick and mortar, with Codona 3 printed in a very angular font. Very cowabunga, if I do say so myself. And it's ECM? This is a unique cover for a record company that tends to rehash the same idea for all of their album covers. (It seems like Don Cherry wouldn't settle for a typical ECM cover. All of the Codona covers are unique, and the Old/New Dreams Playing is unique as well).
This trio of Don Cherry, Collin Walcott, and Nana Vasconcelos make great music together. The three of the musicians are credited with 12 instruments (Nana is credited with percussion, so who knows exactly how many different instruments are all on this record). Three guys jamming out on unusual musical instruments. These compositions are very structured; "Clicky Clacky" sounds like an old man singing the blues about a train. Sounds almost like a Robert Johnson song, but it is complete with brushes on snare (sounding very locomotive) and train whistles.
"Inner Organs" is an intense wall of sound. Very dark and foreboding. Starts off with long sustained organ tones and Don Cherry's trumpet. Eventually the tabla (or maybe "percussion") bring in a driving momentum. This seems like music that could be used in a climactic cinematic scene (I'm thinking The Godfather or Apocalypse Now... Very Brando?) Cherry's entrance typically startles me, even when I know it's coming.
I can't recommend this album highly enough. It's just good music. It's not jazz. It's great music.
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