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Junior Mance: Music of Thelonious Monk
Throughout this live set, Temperley and Mancejoined by the gifted rhythm section of bassist Peter Washington and veteran drummer Mickey Rokerdrive Monk's music to deserved heights and moody lows. The opener, "Blue Monk," is given a gin-soaked treatment by Temperley's swaying bass clarinet, which is then reinforced by an appropriately blue-hued Mance solo and finally cemented by Washington's spot-lit rolls and picks.
On "Ask Me Now," Temperley cedes the floor to the trio, leaving them to take on one of Monk's more lyrical and melancholic works. They do so ably and with utmost careevoking an image of Monk as the delicate dynamo he was. Another highlight is the group's work on the infectiously swinging "Rhythm-A-Ning." Mance pulls out all the stops from gate to gate, while Temperley, on baritone sax, flutters and flips his way through with remarkable dexterity.
From start to finish, it is evident that these four know their Monk. In fact, so familiar are they with the material that they infused it with a charming, lived-in quality which few other ensembles could manage. Their approach to the artist is hardly revolutionary, but rather warm, intimate and accustomed.
It's hard to say whether Monk ever sailed the seas on a sprawling cruiseliner, but thanks to Mance, Temperley and company we now know that setting would have agreed with him just fine.
Track Listing
Blue Monk; Little Rootie Tootie; Ba-Lue Bolivar Blues-Are; Ask Me Now; I Mean You; Rhythmaning; Straight No Chaser; Hackensack.
Personnel
Junior Mance
pianoJoe Temperly: saxophone; Junior Mance: piano ; Peter Washington: bass; Mickey Roker: drums.
Album information
Title: Music of Thelonious Monk | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Chiaroscuro Records
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Junior Mance/Joe Temperley
CD/LP/Track Review
Junior Mance
Riel Lazarus
Chiaroscuro Records
United States
Monk