Home » Jazz Musicians » Ed Cherry

Ed Cherry

"An expressive instrumentalist, Cherry has a hip, melodic approach that is a refreshing contrast to guitarists who frequently resort to playing 'finger music', the execution of rapid streams of notes that serve no musical purpose other than to fill space"- Jim Ferguson: Jazztimes - 06/02

Born in New Haven,Connecticut, Ed moved to New York in 1978 to play guitar with Dizzy Gillespie from 1978 to 1992 performing in Gillespie's quartet, big band and with The United Nation Orchestra which recorded the Grammy Award-winning Live at Royal Festival Hall (Enja). Gillespie died in 1993, and Cherry released his first recording as a leader, 'First Take' (Groovin' High). That same year, Ed recorded with Paquito D'Riveras' small group which recorded "Havana Cafe" (Chesky Records). Ed also worked with composer/saxophonist Henry Threadgill for two years and recorded  three cds with Henry's 'Very Very Circus' group.

In 1995, Cherry released his second project as a solo artist, entitled A Second Look (Groovin' High Records). During that same period Ed worked with Hammond organist John Patton recording three critically acclaimed cds with Patton's quartet-'Blue Planet Man','Minor Swing' and 'This ones for Jah'(DIW). From 1997 to 1998, Cherry worked in Roy Hargrove's “Crisol” Latin jazz band, which performed in Havana, Cuba. During this same period, he also worked w/baritone saxophonist, Hamiett Bluiett, recording Bluiett's cd 'With Eyes Wide Open' on Justin-Time records.In 2001, Cherry toured Europe for the first time with his own group. He also released his  cd, 'The Spirit Speaks' on the Canadian Justin Time Records label, inspired by the great jazz organist Jimmy Smith with whom he had also recently worked.Ed was asked to perform at the 'Vodaphone Madarao Jazz festival'in 2002 in Madarao Japan with his quartet featuring trumpeter Jon Faddis.

More recently , Ed toured with the great Hammond organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, recording one critically acclaimed cd, 'In The Beginning' on Pilgrimage Records in 2012. 

Currently Ed has a brand new second recording released on Posi-Tone Records. ('It's All Good' his first release in 2012 for Posi-Tone stayed in the JazzWeek charts for 3 months) his second recording for the label is titled "Soul Tree" ( release date February 19 2016 ) featuring Kyle Koehler on Hammond B3 organ and drummer Anwar Marshall. As of this pre release date, it's already gathering rave reviews.

Ed continues to work nationally and internationally ; concerts, workshops, jazz clubs.

Gear

Victor Baker guitars

Jazzkat and Polytone amplifiers


Tags

3
Radio & Podcasts

Interview With Al Chesis Of The Delta Sonics

Read "Interview With Al Chesis Of The Delta Sonics" reviewed by Steven Roby


This episode features an interview with Al Chesis from The Delta Sonics. Chesis has played in Colorado since the mid-1980s after moving to Denver from Washington, D.C. He played in the Mojo-Matics for five years, opening shows for Albert Collins, Elvin Bishop, Taj Mahal, Canned Heat, and others.The Delta Sonics music takes a Chicago Blues base and seasons it with Swing, Delta, N'awlins R&B, and some early Rock n' Roll. They were Westword's best blues band in Denver ...

15
Album Review

Steve Turre: Generations

Read "Generations" reviewed by Dave Linn


Generations is a wonderful exploration of the bop and post-bop era. Steve Turre both looks back to his roots while encouraging the next generation of musicians to find their voice. It's a position he's eminently qualified for, considering the artists he has played with and his tenure as a long-time jazz educator. Trombone players have a unique place in the sound created in a small jazz band. Their parts helped blend and define any given melody. On this ...

17
Interview

Ed Cherry: Always Groovin’

Read "Ed Cherry: Always Groovin’" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


"I liked the look of it--I like the sound--the feel," says renowned guitarist Ed Cherry about the guitar, an instrument he has been playing for more than half a century. He long ago became a first-rate player with a warm sound and joyous approach. He is also diverse. He's played a myriad of styles ranging from the driving bebop of Dizzy Gillespie (with whom he played for over a decade) to the free jazz explorations of Henry Threadgill ...

3
Liner Notes

Ed Cherry: Are We There Yet?

Read "Ed Cherry: Are We There Yet?" reviewed by Andrew Scott


In debates between Kenneth Miller, Richard Dawkins, and the late Stephen Jay Gould, the “stay in your lane" boundaries that separate science from theology/philosophy become particularly porous, revealing the frequency with which individuals intellectually “drift" in order to hold onto seemingly contradictory opinions of truth (empirical, scientific) and belief. Jazz, no less an ideology, has also become “defined" through a series of maxims ("must swing," “must contain the blues," “must prefigure improvisation") that while articulating general truisms perhaps, ...

6
Album Review

Ed Cherry: Are We There Yet?

Read "Are We There Yet?" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


February is appropriately recognized in the United States as Black History Month. The Cellar Music Group has been in the forefront of acknowledging the importance of Black musicians to jazz in America. With the release of Are We There Yet? by guitarist Ed Cherry, Cellar Music Group presents another release that is led by a Black artist. Cherry who has been a stalwart in the jny: New York jazz scene since 1978, has pulled together a tight band including vibraphonist ...

14
Play This!

Ed Cherry: Are We There Yet?

Read "Ed Cherry: Are We There Yet?" reviewed by Edward Blanco


In remembering the great Wes Montgomery, guitarist phenom Ed Cherry records his arrangement and interpretations of one of the superstar's most memorable compositions with an incredible hard-swinging version of “Mr. Walker" featuring Kyle Koehler on the Hammond B3 organ reminiscent of Montgomery collaborations with organist Melvin Rhyne. Byron “Wookie" Landham on drums rounds out Cherry's quartet as vibraphonist Monte Croft sits this tune out. Cherry's elegantly lyrical and deeply soulful approach here is a homage and salute to Cherry's past ...

3
Album Review

Brian Charette: Jackpot

Read "Jackpot" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


In the tradition of some great Hammond organ players of the past, such as Jack McDuff, Melvin Rhyne, Don Patterson, Larry Young and Jimmy Smith, one leading practitioner on this instrument, Brian Charette, wanted to write some swinging and soulful bebop tunes which would honor the memory of these past greats. The musicians Charette chose to travel on this journey were steeped in this genre, tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds, funky guitarist Ed Cherry and the swinging drummer Bill Stewart. To ...

Read more articles
201

Performance / Tour

Ed Cherry Jazz Clinic and Concert Series @ Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus Tuesday, November 6, 2007 4:00 - 6:00 PM

Ed Cherry Jazz Clinic and Concert Series @ Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus Tuesday, November 6, 2007 4:00 - 6:00 PM

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Jazz Clinic and Concert Series @ Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus Tuesday, November 6, 2007 4:00 - 6:00 PM Jazz Guitarist Ed Cherry will lead a jazz seminar as part of Long Island University's Jazz Clinic Series. The series features musicians and music professionals with extraordinary links to jazz history in addition to being outstanding in their own right. The clinics are free and open to the general public. They take place on various Tuesdays, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM, ...

132

Performance / Tour

The Ed Cherry Trio at Jules Bistro Jan. 10

The Ed Cherry Trio at Jules Bistro Jan. 10

Source: All About Jazz

The Ed Cherry Trio (Ed Cherry, guitar, with Brian Charette, organ and Sylvia Cuenca, drums) will be performing at Jules Bistro, 65 St. Marks Place (E. 8th st.), NYC Weds., Jan.10 from 8:30 to 11:30

Ed Cherry played with Dizzy Gillespie from 1978 to 1992, performing in Gillespie's quartet, big band and with The United Nations Orchestra, which recorded the Grammy Award-winning Live at Royal Festival Hall (Enja). He also performed and recorded with Paquito D'Rivera.

Cherry released ...

100

127

Event

Ed Cherry Trio July 22 at Jules Bistro, New York City

Ed Cherry Trio July 22 at Jules Bistro, New York City

Source: All About Jazz

The Ed Cherry trio will be performing at Jules Bistro (8th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue) on Saturday, July 22 from 9:30-12.

No cover.

Ed Cherry - guitar Jared Gold - organ Diego Voglino - drums

Ed Cherry played with Dizzy Gillespie from 1978 to 1992, performing in Gillespie's quartet, big band and with The United Nation Orchestra, which recorded the Grammy Award-winning Live at Royal Festival Hall (Enja). Cherry performed and recorded with Paquito ...

110

Event

The Ed Cherry Trio @ The River Room on June 9-10, NYC

The Ed Cherry Trio @ The River Room on June 9-10, NYC

Source: All About Jazz

The Ed Cherry Trio with Jared Gold-organ and Marion Felder-drums @ The River Room 145th and Riverside Dr. (Riverbank Park) Friday and Saturday, June 9-10, NYC 9 to 11:30 Ed Cherry played with Dizzy Gillespie from 1978 to 1992, performing in Gillespie's quartet, big band and with The United Nation Orchestra, which recorded the Grammy Award-winning Live at Royal Festival Hall (Enja). Gillespie died in 1993, and Cherry released his first recording as a ...

124

Event

The Ed Cherry Trio @ Detour, Friday February 10th

The Ed Cherry Trio @ Detour, Friday February 10th

Source: All About Jazz


125

Performance / Tour

Ed Cherry Trio at Jules Bistro February 9

Ed Cherry Trio at Jules Bistro February 9

Source: All About Jazz


99

Performance / Tour

The Ed Cherry-Brian Charette-Sylvia Cuenca Trio @"Jules Bistro" tonight!

The Ed Cherry-Brian Charette-Sylvia Cuenca Trio @"Jules Bistro" tonight!

Source: All About Jazz

The Ed Cherry Trio will be performing tonigt @ Jules Bistro(65 st.marks place,bet.1st and 2nd.ave.) 8-11pm w/Brian Charette-organ and Sylvia Cuenca-drums

As a kid,Ed Cherry was initially attracted to rock and r&b.Only later did he get involved in jazz,partly as a result of the influence of his dad,a fan of the music.Ed recalls “confiscating his record collection." Guitarist Ed Cherry has brought his superb artisry to the groups of such diverse heavyweights as Sam Rivers,Big John ...

103

Event

The Ed Cherry Group @ The Blue Note -Sat .Oct. 22,2005

The Ed Cherry Group @ The Blue Note -Sat .Oct. 22,2005

Source: All About Jazz

The Ed Cherry group will be performing following the “Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Band" at the Bluet Note on sat. Oct.22nd. 1am-3am(late night grooves) adm.10$ w/todd coolman-bass jay collins-sax/flute diego voglino-drums ed cherry-guitar see bio below: Ed Cherry Instrument | Guitar Biography I've been playing the guitar since the age of 12. Rock and soul music at first (Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Kool and the Gang, Jeff Beck, Wilson Pickett). After high school, in 1972, I spent 4 months at Berklee ...

92

Performance / Tour

The Ed Cherry Organ Project @ "Dizzy's Club Coca Cola"

The Ed Cherry Organ Project @ "Dizzy's Club Coca Cola"

Source: All About Jazz

The guitar of ed cherry will be performing w/jay collins-sax/flute,brian charette-organ,diego voglino-drums. august 23 thru the 27 11pm one set/12:45am fri.-sat.(w/todd coolman -bass,woody shaw III-drums,jay collins-sax/flute-sat.only) Dizzy's Club Coca Cola Broadway at 60th Street,5th Floor NYC Call: 212.258.9595 Music Charge $10 Ed Cherry Instrument | Guitar Biography I've been playing the guitar since the age of 12. Rock and soul music at first (Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Kool and the Gang, Jeff Beck, Wilson Pickett). After high school, in 1972, ...

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Are We There Yet?

Cellar Records
2023

buy

Honoring Pat Martino,...

HighNote Records
2022

buy

Jackpot

Cellar Live
2022

buy

Generations

Smoke Sessions Records
2022

buy

Soul Tree

Posi-Tone Records
2016

buy

It's All Good

Posi-Tone Records
2012

buy

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.