brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,736
edited August 2023
Over the years, I have scoped out the few biographies I have run across of Thelonious Monk, but hadn't come across anything truly satisfying... until this: Thelonious Monk: His Life and Music by Thomas Fitterling, with an insightful forward by Steve Lacy. YES, this is the one I've waited for!
And as always happens, reading about a favorite musician gets me to digging into his or her catalogue. This afternoon, I listened to the first side of this terrific album:
I only listened to one side- partly because my ears fatigue fairly quickly these days, but also because by the end of side one, I felt as though I had been vicariously transported to anther strange and beautiful universe and brought back completely satisfied. I've listened to this entire record before, of course, but reading about Monk through Fitterling's work helped me to better lock into the master's unique sound- more so than I ever had before.
The third cut, "Rhythm-A-Ning", was particularly transcending. Tenor sax man Johnny Griffin takes the first solo- an amazing, lengthy, breathtakingly intense and fleet footed piece of work that never misses a step, soars yet yet somehow remains tethered, and finally lands with a slight alteration of the theme. A that precise time, T himself lifts off. The latter part off Monk's superb solo includes some amazing runs that flow in opposite directions yet are completely fitting with each other. I was utterly transfixed by this point. Monk is followed by more brief but superb solos by bassist Amed Abdul-Malik and the ever-amazing Roy Haynes.
This is amazing work that seems to defy normal boundaries of Jazz (or any music, for that matter), and yet at the same time is totally engaging and listenable- at least to these ears. For me this is the kind of music that leaves me feeling like, Man! I am glad I've lived long enough to experience this!
Side note: I am sorry the album cover did not transfer properly (this happens a lot to me on this site, by the way). It is such a cool cover! Check out the better picture here:
I just started the Miles Davis autobiography today so I will likely be listening to a lot of Miles as I read. Watched Miles Ahead with Don Cheadle again recently and I liked it about as much when I saw it in the theater, which wasn't much.
Dallas, TX (November 15, 2013) Chicago 1 (August 20, 2016) Chicago 2 (August 22, 2016) Ft. Worth 1 (September 13, 2023) Ft. Worth 2 (September 15, 2023)
Thank goodness I have my favorites of those or I'd be busting my piggy bank, lol. But what I DON'T have but soon will is Pharoah Sanders' Karma. That ones been on my want list for quite some time and having it on vinyl will (to the best of my knowledge) fill in the last gap (a HUGE gap) of my "wants" of Sanders records. He's been a favorite artist of mine for longer than I can remember, so this head up is MOST appreciated.
Thank you!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,736
edited August 2023
"Four in One" from this album is insane!
I wish I had a video of this number. Seriously- the way the "big band" (a septet, actually) plays this composition at the beginning and the end of this piece is surreal- I kid you not. The way the band play this super complex piece in unison gives it a feeling of soaring, but... I can't even find the right words- I've never heard anything quite like it.
This one is really worth tracking down!
EDIT: I found this- this is longer than the version on the LP (or perhaps the LP version is edited?). In any case- start at 13:15 which it where the piece and the band are at the top level of crazy good. I just love this stuff!
I wish I had a video of this number. Seriously- the way the "big band" (a septet, actually) plays this composition at the beginning and the end of this piece is surreal- I kid you not. The way the band play this super complex piece in unison gives it a feeling of soaring, but... I can't even find the right words- I've never heard anything quite like it.
This one is really worth tracking down!
EDIT: I found this- this is longer than the version on the LP (or perhaps the LP version is edited?). In any case- start at 13:15 which it where the piece and the band are at the top level of crazy good. I just love this stuff!
That was good. A lot of slurring notes. My Band teacher would call that "lazy" lol. I liked to do it but he taught us to accent the notes. So whenever I hear that I think of Mr C!
I appreciate stuff like this Brian. Nice find.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,736
I wish I had a video of this number. Seriously- the way the "big band" (a septet, actually) plays this composition at the beginning and the end of this piece is surreal- I kid you not. The way the band play this super complex piece in unison gives it a feeling of soaring, but... I can't even find the right words- I've never heard anything quite like it.
This one is really worth tracking down!
EDIT: I found this- this is longer than the version on the LP (or perhaps the LP version is edited?). In any case- start at 13:15 which it where the piece and the band are at the top level of crazy good. I just love this stuff!
That was good. A lot of slurring notes. My Band teacher would call that "lazy" lol. I liked to do it but he taught us to accent the notes. So whenever I hear that I think of Mr C!
I appreciate stuff like this Brian. Nice find.
Glad you like it! Reading about Monk's life has been fascination and really got me digging into his music. It's so different and fascinating. Just loving it lately.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,736
My latest jazz obsession has been two fold. First, I'm reading this book Clawing at the Limits of Cool by Farah Jasmine Griffin and Salem Washington about the work Miles Davis and John Coltrane did together and how that all came together. It's an absolutely engaging read and a terrific book!
At one point, tenor sax player Dexter Gordon comes into the picture and I started exploring his work. That will keep me busy- there is a lot of it out there!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,736
I feel like this would have been a separate thread- that's how huge Wayne Shorter's talent was to me. Despite his longevity, a major and very sad loss.
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Chicago 1 (August 20, 2016)
Chicago 2 (August 22, 2016)
Ft. Worth 1 (September 13, 2023)
Ft. Worth 2 (September 15, 2023)
https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=results&saleid=692
I appreciate stuff like this Brian. Nice find.
First, I'm reading this book Clawing at the Limits of Cool by Farah Jasmine Griffin and Salem Washington about the work Miles Davis and John Coltrane did together and how that all came together. It's an absolutely engaging read and a terrific book!
I totally immersed myself in a couple of my favorite Wayne Shorter LPs today, JUJU and Adam's Apple. Fantastic!