Big Al Posted November 25, 2007 Report Posted November 25, 2007 Bringing this back up because I've been on a real Monk kick lately. Will anyone else agree with me that Art Blakey was the drummer who made Monk swing? Not to discount other drummers (especially Max Roach, who did the impossible on Brilliant Corners, AFAIC. I'm pretty sure Blakey couldn't have pulled off THAT one), but Blakey's work with Monk on Blue Note, the Prestige trios & quintets, and the Giants of Jazz seemed to force Monk into a rare situation: one in which he was NOT setting the rhythm. Generally, it seemed that other drummers were following Monk's rhythm (which is challenging enough as it is). Blakey forced Monk to follow Blakey's beat. Talk about chutzpah; and yet it WORKED! So it is on a track like "Well You Needn't" where Blakey and Monk musically argue about who gets to set the pace, Blakey wins again, and everyone falls in step with him and swings their asses off! This is not to say that Monk's rhythm was in any way inferior to Blakey's; it's just that when Monk wanted to swing, he chose Blakey because Blakey knew where the right beats were to take Monk's music to that particular level that straddles the line between boring 4/4 simple timekeeping and locomotive-powered steamrolling swing that mows down everyone in sight. Just my observation. I could be completely off-track in this. Quote
JSngry Posted November 25, 2007 Report Posted November 25, 2007 Monk swung like hell without any help from anybody. What are you talking about? And why is an AOTW thread in the Mosaic forum? Quote
Big Al Posted November 26, 2007 Report Posted November 26, 2007 (edited) And why is an AOTW thread in the Mosaic forum? Good question.... it was in the AOTW forum when I posted it. Okay, so I'm in the minority on my opinion (plus Blakey's my favorite drummer anyway, so I'm just a LITTLE biased), but still..... I didn't think my opinion was so radical as to knock the whole thread into a different FORUM! Edited November 26, 2007 by Big Al Quote
BruceH Posted November 27, 2007 Report Posted November 27, 2007 I've always kind of liked the Monk/Shadow Wilson combination. Quote
jazzbo Posted November 27, 2007 Report Posted November 27, 2007 I really dig Blakey with Monk but he's not my favorite. My favorite is Frankie Dunlop. An amazing drummer and I love what he did in Monk's quartet whenever he had the chair. I agree that Klook is great with Monk too (but then I feel about Klook the way that Al feels about Bu!) Quote
Big Al Posted November 27, 2007 Report Posted November 27, 2007 I agree that Klook is great with Monk too (but then I feel about Klook the way that Al feels about Bu!) I hear ya! I definitely need to hear some prime Monk/Klook. Best place to start? I ordered the K2's of Monk's Music and Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane from Newbury today for under $20! Can't wait to hear these! Quote
jazzbo Posted November 27, 2007 Report Posted November 27, 2007 There's not a whole lot of official possibilities of Klook and Monk. . . . "Plays Duke Ellington" is the obvious choice, and it's a fantastic release in either the K2 or the new Keepnews versions. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted November 27, 2007 Report Posted November 27, 2007 There's not a whole lot of official possibilities of Klook and Monk. . . . "Plays Duke Ellington" is the obvious choice, and it's a fantastic release in either the K2 or the new Keepnews versions. Don't forget the date with Miles and Bags - best heard in the Monk/Prestige K2 box. Quote
Big Al Posted November 28, 2007 Report Posted November 28, 2007 There's not a whole lot of official possibilities of Klook and Monk. . . . "Plays Duke Ellington" is the obvious choice, and it's a fantastic release in either the K2 or the new Keepnews versions. Don't forget the date with Miles and Bags - best heard in the Monk/Prestige K2 box. Ah yes! I just picked up that box used the other weekend! I thought I was getting a bargain at 29.99..... until this sale showed up! Quote
jazzbo Posted November 28, 2007 Report Posted November 28, 2007 There's not a whole lot of official possibilities of Klook and Monk. . . . "Plays Duke Ellington" is the obvious choice, and it's a fantastic release in either the K2 or the new Keepnews versions. Don't forget the date with Miles and Bags - best heard in the Monk/Prestige K2 box. I did let that slip my mind. Al still should get the "Plays Duke Ellington". . .it's a marvelous record in my opinion. Quote
Big Al Posted November 28, 2007 Report Posted November 28, 2007 There's not a whole lot of official possibilities of Klook and Monk. . . . "Plays Duke Ellington" is the obvious choice, and it's a fantastic release in either the K2 or the new Keepnews versions. Don't forget the date with Miles and Bags - best heard in the Monk/Prestige K2 box. I did let that slip my mind. Al still should get the "Plays Duke Ellington". . .it's a marvelous record in my opinion. Oh, I will, I will!!! Thanks for the rec Lon! Quote
analogak Posted November 28, 2007 Report Posted November 28, 2007 yeah frankie dunlop was F'n fun with monk. Quote
paul secor Posted November 29, 2007 Report Posted November 29, 2007 Can't this thread be moved back to the AOTW forum where it belongs? Quote
Big Al Posted December 11, 2007 Report Posted December 11, 2007 The mono tapes sound MUCH better. If you care to hear Wilbur Ware (amongst other things) forget it. I think I grabbed the last copies each of the K2's of MM and TM&JC from Newbury Comics, and I have to agree with Chuck: these mono mixes sound unbelievably good. So much presence without being overwhelming. Hawk's solo on "Ruby My Dear" sounds so tender, where the stereo version I've heard sounds cold and brittle. Glad I waited for these. Quote
mikeweil Posted December 12, 2007 Report Posted December 12, 2007 I'd say Blakey made Monk swing the most in a conventional sense, but he sounded more elegant with Klook or Shadow Wilson, and Frankie Dunlop is my hero 'cause his drumming is as Monkish as it can get, and he gave Monk complete freedom as far as intricate rhythmic variation is concerned, which is invaluable. Quote
Big Al Posted December 12, 2007 Report Posted December 12, 2007 I'd say Blakey made Monk swing the most in a conventional sense, Yes! That's what I was trying to say! Quote
Big Al Posted January 2, 2008 Report Posted January 2, 2008 Al still should get the "Plays Duke Ellington". . .it's a marvelous record in my opinion. I did, and I wholeheartedly agree!!! I can't believe I waited forever to pick this one up. This album just flows so seamlessly from one track to the next, sounding very much (and simultaneously) as a Monk album as well as an Ellington album. Thanks for tipping me to this, guys! Quote
bluemonk Posted May 14, 2008 Report Posted May 14, 2008 I have over 30 Monk recordings and this is one I was pretty disappointed with. I mean Monk and Trane only played together for what 8 months? I mean that wasn't really that long of period, but in my opinion the best release in recent years concerning Monk has been "Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane At Carnegie Hall." This was a fantastic release! Good discovery. I'm glad it finally got to see the light of day thanks to somebody at the Library Of Congress!?!? Quote
Shawn Posted May 14, 2008 Report Posted May 14, 2008 Al still should get the "Plays Duke Ellington". . .it's a marvelous record in my opinion. I did, and I wholeheartedly agree!!! I can't believe I waited forever to pick this one up. This album just flows so seamlessly from one track to the next, sounding very much (and simultaneously) as a Monk album as well as an Ellington album. Thanks for tipping me to this, guys! That was my first Monk record and is still one of my absolute favorites. Actually, the second one I got was The Unique Thelonious Monk so my initial exposure was him playing other people's material. It's been one hell of a fun journey ever since! Quote
bluemonk Posted May 14, 2008 Report Posted May 14, 2008 Al still should get the "Plays Duke Ellington". . .it's a marvelous record in my opinion. I did, and I wholeheartedly agree!!! I can't believe I waited forever to pick this one up. This album just flows so seamlessly from one track to the next, sounding very much (and simultaneously) as a Monk album as well as an Ellington album. Thanks for tipping me to this, guys! That was my first Monk record and is still one of my absolute favorites. Actually, the second one I got was The Unique Thelonious Monk so my initial exposure was him playing other people's material. It's been one hell of a fun journey ever since! If I were you Shawn I would check out Monk's "The Complete Prestige Recordings" box set. It's fantastic! Quote
jazzbo Posted May 14, 2008 Report Posted May 14, 2008 If I were you Shawn I would check out Monk's "The Complete Prestige Recordings" box set. It's fantastic! Don't worry, Shawn is very familiar with that material. Quote
RiRiIII Posted May 21, 2008 Report Posted May 21, 2008 The mono tapes sound MUCH better. If you care to hear Wilbur Ware (amongst other things) forget it. I think I grabbed the last copies each of the K2's of MM and TM&JC from Newbury Comics, and I have to agree with Chuck: these mono mixes sound unbelievably good. So much presence without being overwhelming. Hawk's solo on "Ruby My Dear" sounds so tender, where the stereo version I've heard sounds cold and brittle. Glad I waited for these. I did purchase the twofer with these recordings after having just an LP version from the 80s. I liked it. But after reading all these comments and due to the unavailabiliy of the US K2 versions, I would like to ask you if the japanese mini LP K2 issues from 2006 (the ones with the yellow and black obi; http://tiny.cc/BWtPp ) are the same as the US K2 ones. Many thanks! Alex Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.