Home » Jazz Articles » My Blue Note Obsession » J.R. Monterose: J.R. Monterose – Blue Note 1536

29

J.R. Monterose: J.R. Monterose – Blue Note 1536

By

Sign in to view read count
J.R. Monterose is that rare bird at Blue Note Records—the guy who got one shot at leading a band, then practically vanished from the face of the earth.

It's odd because the history of Blue Note is filled with famous guys (almost never gals) who took up residence and stayed just about forever. Think of Blue Note, and I think of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Horace Silver and Lee Morgan. Big names who made hard bop and soul jazz the big thing in the 1950s and '60s.

And then there's J.R. Monterose—truly a one-hit wonder. And based on this album, it's hard to understand why.

Now, Monterose wasn't completely unknown in 1956, when he recorded this self-titled album with a fantastic band (Horace Silver on piano, Ira Sullivan on trumpet, Wilbur Ware on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums). He had nice turns on Charles Mingus' Pithecanthropus Erectus and on Kenny Dorham's 'Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia—both recorded earlier the same year.

Most folks seem to like this Monterose album. The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide gives it 4 stars. Allmusic gives it 4.5 stars. On Amazon, 7 of 8 listeners give it a full 5 stars. Yet I don't really enjoy it. I just don't like Monterose's harsh tone.

The rest of the band is great. Silver and Sullivan, in particular, swing like crazy. (Has Silver ever made a bad record?) This really could be a The Jazz Messengers record if you substituted Art Blakey for Philly Joe Jones. The themes are all terrific hard bop tunes, including the three written by Monterose himself.

But for me, Monterose ruins the mood. The very first song, "Wee-Jay" by Monterose, has the tenor spitting out staccato honks and squawks to start his solo. It was a huge turnoff. (All the more strange because there's an alternate take that ends the CD that I like much better.) On other songs, Monterose shows his bop chops, but again, the tone is high-pitched and squealy to my ears. It's a personal preference, I know, but I can't turn it off.

Otherwise, this is a pretty good record, and where others take the lead, it's downright terrific. I might even want to hear more Monterose in different settings. I see a duet album with Tommy Flanagan in 1990. I'll try it. Even one-hit wonders deserve a second chance.

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Availability: Readily available

Cost: $10 new

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.