Favorite Monk tributes (single artist)

[soulpope]

On 14.7.2016 at 8:10 PM, duaneiac said:

!!!

[duaneiac]

Like the Junior Mance disc in the Ellington thread, this too was recorded at the Floating Jazz Festival.  Here, though, most of the tracks were recorded in 2000, with just one track from the 1996 sessions which produced the Ellington disc.

[A Lark Ascending]

One I enjoy a lot - from a pianist who openly acknowledges the paramount influence of Monk (along with Ellington) on his style. 

[duaneiac]

It's fair to say Thelonious Monk was a major influence on Jessica Williams.  I've only heard the first of these albums and quite liked it.

[Peter Friedman]

[duaneiac]

I've actually never heard this one.  Any one have any opinions of it?

There is a Bay Area group called Monk's Music Trio.  I have a couple of their CDs

From what I recall, it seemed like too much of a goodish thing.  One of those occasions where an LP length recording might have been better than a CD length one.

I have not heard these discs --

[paul secor]

For me, the ultimate Monk tribute (one ringer with music written by another Monk).

[soulpope]

Jean-Jacques Avenel`s solo performance of "Erronel" .... beyond belief ....

Edited July 19, 2016 by soulpope

[soulpope]

(LP K2B2 Records K2B2-2569) .... recorded November 1986 .... Marty Krystall (ts) + John Beasley (p) + Buell Neidlinger (b) + Billy Osborne (dr) .... hear worthy (IMO) ....

[alankin]

On 7/15/2016 at 10:38 PM, mjzee said:

Another thumbs up for Tommy Flanagan's Thelonica.  And a big thumbs up for:

 

[MartyJazz]

Back in November 1981, I very fortunately attended the evening concert of an all star gathering of musicians honoring Monk who was known to be in poor health at that moment in time.  Indeed, Monk passed away 3 months later.  The afternoon and evening concerts were titled "Interpretations of Monk", the four sets eventually being released sometime in 1994 on a four CD issue by DIW that I purchased immediately on sight.  I note that it's currently available from various sellers on Amazon for upwards of $95.  The front line for all four sets consisted of Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd and Charlie Rouse.  Richard Davis was the bassist throughout.  The drummer consisted of Ben Riley on the opening set of each concert, Ed Blackwell on the closing set of each.  The pianists were Muhal Richard Abrams (1st set), Barry Harris (2nd) afternoon concert; Anthony Davis (1st set), Mal Waldron (2nd) evening concert.  The variety of tune listings give an indication of how much work and rehearsal went into these concerts:

Disc: 1

  1. Announcement - Verna Gillis

  2. Introduction - Nat Hentoff

  3. Crepuscule With Nellie

  4. I Mean You

  5. Ask Me Now

  6. Gallop's Gallop

  7. Blue Monk

  8. Four In One

  9. Poetry - Amiri Baraka

 

Disc: 2

  1. Introduction - Stanley Crouch

  2. Monk's Mood

  3. Evidence

  4. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are

  5. Thelonious

  6. Well, You Needn't

  7. Announcement - Verna Gillis

  8. Ruby, My Dear

 

Disc: 3

  1. Light Blue

  2. Eronel

  3. Bye-Ya

  4. Pannonica

  5. Off Minor

  6. Epistrophy

 

Disc: 4

  1. Announcement - Verna Gillis

  2. 'Round About Midnight

  3. Let's Call This

  4. Reflections

  5. Friday The 13th

  6. Rhythm-A-Ning

  7. Epistrophy

 

[paul secor]

1 hour ago, MartyJazz said:

Back in November 1981, I very fortunately attended the evening concert of an all star gathering of musicians honoring Monk who was known to be in poor health at that moment in time.  Indeed, Monk passed away 3 months later.  The afternoon and evening concerts were titled "Interpretations of Monk", the four sets eventually being released sometime in 1994 on a four CD issue by DIW that I purchased immediately on sight.  I note that it's currently available from various sellers on Amazon for upwards of $95.  The front line for all four sets consisted of Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd and Charlie Rouse.  Richard Davis was the bassist throughout.  The drummer consisted of Ben Riley on the opening set of each concert, Ed Blackwell on the closing set of each.  The pianists were Muhal Richard Abrams (1st set), Barry Harris (2nd) afternoon concert; Anthony Davis (1st set), Mal Waldron (2nd) evening concert.  The variety of tune listings give an indication of how much work and rehearsal went into these concerts:

Disc: 1

  1. Announcement - Verna Gillis

  2. Introduction - Nat Hentoff

  3. Crepuscule With Nellie

  4. I Mean You

  5. Ask Me Now

  6. Gallop's Gallop

  7. Blue Monk

  8. Four In One

  9. Poetry - Amiri Baraka

 

Disc: 2

  1. Introduction - Stanley Crouch

  2. Monk's Mood

  3. Evidence

  4. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are

  5. Thelonious

  6. Well, You Needn't

  7. Announcement - Verna Gillis

  8. Ruby, My Dear

 

Disc: 3

  1. Light Blue

  2. Eronel

  3. Bye-Ya

  4. Pannonica

  5. Off Minor

  6. Epistrophy

 

Disc: 4

  1. Announcement - Verna Gillis

  2. 'Round About Midnight

  3. Let's Call This

  4. Reflections

  5. Friday The 13th

  6. Rhythm-A-Ning

  7. Epistrophy

 

A set of music that captures the spirit of Monk better than most. Many others just play the tunes and do little more.

[Joe]

A set that some listeners may find to be too clever for its own good -- me, I like hearing Monk on prepared piano -- but John Stetch earns points fro trying to really engage with the music and find new ways to explore it.

[duaneiac]

[HutchFan]

On 7/19/2016 at 1:47 AM, duaneiac said:

I've actually never heard this one.  Any one have any opinions of it?

I like it.

 

Here's another Monk tribute that I really enjoy:

Roland Hanna / George Mraz - Play for Monk (Artists House; reissued on MHS)

[Larry Kart]

21 hours ago, paul secor said:

A set of music that captures the spirit of Monk better than most. Many others just play the tunes and do little more.

Have the Muhal and B. Harris discs. My memory of the Muhal disc is that much of the time Don Cherry sadly was at a loss as to how to play on those pieces, and that this seemed to discombobulate the rest of the band a fair bit. Cherry certainly knew how to respond to Monk's music -- he does so beautifully on Steve Lacy's "Evidence" -- but a fair amount of time (about 20 years)  had passed between that recording and these concerts.

[danasgoodstuff]

6 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Have the Muhal and B. Harris discs. My memory of the Muhal disc is that much of the time Don Cherry sadly was at a loss as to how to play on those pieces, and that this seemed to discombobulate the rest of the band a fair bit. Cherry certainly knew how to respond to Monk's music -- he does so beautifully on Steve Lacy's "Evidence" -- but a fair amount of time (about 20 years)  had passed between that recording and these concerts.

My memory is not quite so negative, but I do remember it being not quite what I'd hoped somehow...

[Peter Friedman]

[jeffcrom]

On 7/19/2016 at 7:27 AM, soulpope said:

Jean-Jacques Avenel`s solo performance of "Erronel" .... beyond belief ....

I had forgotten that one - so Lacy has recorded at least seven All-Monk albums. Eight, if you count I Remember Thelonious (a duo with Mal Waldron), which includes one Bud Powell tune.

[duaneiac]

4 of the 7 tunes on the album are Monk compositions.

[paul secor]

I'm not sure if this one has been mentioned:

5 x Monk 5 x Lacy (Silkheart)

Five tune by Monk, five by Lacy

[Joe]

<giggle>

[six string]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Jessica Williams.  For my money one of the best interpreters of Monk.  She's far from a mere copiest.  So my choice is her In The Key Of Monk on the Canadian label Jazz Focus.  It's a live solo album of songs by Monk, for Monk or associated with Monk. 

[Milestones]

The Jessica Williams record is good stuff.  I have that one.

[johnblitweiler]

  .

Damon Short's bands all reward serious listening. He's a very fine, subtle composer-arranger-drummer. This goodie is from the 1980s.

Stan Tracey may have come closest of any pianist to the essence of Monk's piano art. Especially Monk's terrific swing. On a good night both of them could blow ou and me away.