| The Golden Number | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Charlie Haden |
| Cover: | The Golden Number.jpg |
| Released: | 1977 |
| Recorded: | June 7, August 21 and December 19 & 20, 1976 |
| Genre: | Jazz |
| Length: | 52:01 |
| Label: | Horizon |
| Producer: | Ed Michel |
| Chronology: | Charlie Haden |
| Prev Title: | Closeness |
| Prev Year: | 1976 |
| Next Title: | Soapsuds, Soapsuds |
| Next Year: | 1977 |
The Golden Number is an album of four duets by bassist Charlie Haden recorded in 1976 and released on the Horizon label in 1977. Haden’s duet partners are trumpeter Don Cherry (also playing flute), tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp, pianist Hampton Hawes and alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman (here playing trumpet). Hawes died shortly before the album’s release, and Haden dedicated the work to him in the liner notes.
The editors of AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars, and Scott Yanow's review states: "In general, the music is quite intriguing and has its share of variety."[1]
Pianist and composer Ethan Iverson called the album "essential," and singled out "Turnaround" for praise, writing: "Hawes is with Haden every second, reacting to those outer-space notes with faultless choices and never with too much left hand. There's even something Ornette-ish about a few of Hawes's phrases, and the last 'heraldic' stuff is pure Don Cherry."[2]
All compositions by Charlie Haden except as indicated