Happy House – 1979

At a period of time when the innovative Ornette Coleman was performing electric free funk with his Prime Time group, his top alumni got together and formed Old And New Dreams.

Cornetist Don Cherry, tenor-saxophonist Dewey Redman, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Ed Blackwell had all been an important part of Coleman’s earlier music; all but Redman were in his band in 1960 while the tenor was with him later in the 1960s.

On a stirring version of Coleman’s “Happy House” from 1979, Haden and Blackwell take impressive solos while Cherry and Redman work together closely particularly in the closing melody statement.

-Scott Yanow