Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk
| Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk | ||||
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| Art Blakey's studio album with Thelonious Monk | ||||
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Publication |
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| Label (s) | Atlantic Records | |||
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Format (s) |
LP, CD |
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Title (number) |
6th |
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running time |
43:58 |
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| occupation |
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Studio (s) |
New York City |
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Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk is an album by Art Blakey with Thelonious Monk . The recordings, which were made in New York on May 14th and 5th, 1957, appeared in 1958 as a long-playing record on Atlantic Records and in 1999, expanded by three titles, in 1996 as a compact disc on Riverside Records .
background
During the past decade, Blakey had assisted Monk with recording sessions for Blue Note and Riverside Records on a number of occasions. Monk returned the favor at this one-time session for Atlantic Records. Blakey was about to begin a long-term contract with Blue Note. A month after these recordings, Monk would begin his summer and fall engagements at the Five Spot in Cooper Square, having regained his cabaret card, without which he was not allowed to play in the major New York clubs (the ones in New York City's Manhattan ). Atlantic released this album over a year after it was recorded.
The discovery of alternative takes of "Evidence", "Blue Monk" and "I Mean You" added 20 minutes to the new editions of the album.
Track list
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- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk (Atlantic 1278)
A1 Evidence (Monk) 6:42
A2 In Walked Bud (Monk) 6:38
A3 Blue Monk (Monk) 7:49
B1 I Mean You (Monk) 7:58
B2 Rhythm-A-Ning (Monk) 7:16
B3 Purple Shades (Johnny Griffin) 7:39
reception
Lindsay Planer said in Allmusic , "Both co-leaders are at the peak of their respective skills with insightful interpretations of almost half a dozen inspired performances from this incarnation of the Blakey-led Jazz Messengers."
Doug Ramsey wrote in JazzTimes (1999) on the extended reissue of the album: “Whether new or old versions, Monk's solos here are among the most vividly recorded examples of his perfect time game and his approach to filling the gaps in solo. His three refrains for 'In Walked Bud' are a case study on thematic improvisation. Anyone who believes polyrhythmic drumming began with Elvin Jones should focus on Blakey's low-key time play behind Monk during this solo. Tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin is consistently excellent. Bassist Spanky DeBrest is a robust timekeeping model and a good soloist in 'Blue Monk'. This was a nice and underrated edition of the Messengers. "
According to Thomas Fitterling, Monk is more than a sideman here. With the exception of Johnny Griffin's medium-paced, traditional blues “Purple Shades”, all of the tracks came from Monk, who is also the actual main soloist on the record. “If a real Monk record was not made,” said Fitterling, “it is mainly because, apart from Leader Blakey, the other“ Jazz Messengers ”are not quite as familiar with Monk's music; this is especially true for Bill Hardman and Spanky DeBrest. "
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Doug Ramsey: Art Blakey / Thelonious Monk: Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk. JazzTimes, September 1, 1999, accessed January 14, 2020 .
- ^ Review of the album at Allmusic (English). Accessed February 1, 2020.
- ↑ Thomas Fitterling: Thelonious Monk. His life, his music, his records. Oreos, Waakirchen 1987, ISBN 3-923657-14-5 .