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Thelonious Monk: From Myth to Man (Part 2)
In the late 1950s Thelonious Monk's star finally began to rise, eventually culminating in a recording contract with Columbia Records and a 1964 Time Magazine cover story. But even as the pianist hit artistic and commercial peaks, other problems began to set in. After his death in 1982 he remained shrouded in the mythic, high-priest-of-bebop image ...
AAJ Announces New Column: "Old, New, Borrowed and Blue" by Dan Bilawsky
All About Jazz announces a new regular column, Old, New, Borrowed and Blue. AAJ Contributor Dan Bilawsky examines jazz from four angles, just as brides-to-be look for something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. For his first installment, Dan looks at the music of iconic pianist/composer Thelonious Monk. Whether it's Monk's own recordings, fresh ...
Four In One: Monk From Four Different Angles
by Dan Bilawsky
Superstitions tend to hold sway over many, otherwise, rational people. Plenty of us avoid walking under ladders, knock on wood and partake in countless other rituals that, while lacking in sound reasoning, certainly make us feel better and bring us comfort in our daily lives. Brides-to-be even fall into this category and believe that it will ...
Abdullah Ibrahim & The WDR Big Band, Cologne: Bombella
by Raul d'Gama Rose
The emotion of an Abdullah Ibrahim record can be pleasantly overpowering. Bombella, featuring Cologne's WDR Big Band--arranged and conducted by Steve Gray--overpowers with both passion and majesty. From score to large soundstage, Ibrahim translates his regal persona into some of the most memorable music he has ever written, including African Symphony (Enja/JustinTime, 2001), African Suite (Tiptoe, ...
High Octane Free Improv: Adam Caine Trio & Vinny Golia/Damon Smith/Weasel Walter
by Clifford Allen
History paints an image of high energy rock music and free improvisation as having very little to do with one another--which isn't surprising considering the fact that heavily-amplified rock power trios were marketed as improvisation-heavy blues for mostly white audiences (giving saxophonist Albert Ayler short shrift). When jazz musicians like drummer Tony Williams and guitarist John ...
Alonzo Holliday: The Archaeology of Out-Bop
by Gordon Marshall
Frank Turek's dream: he is in a smoky bar where jazz floats in the background. Coming up to sit down next to him is a hip, old cat who begins to tell him stories of playing sax in bands in the early '40s. He introduces himself as Alonzo Holliday. Back to waking life, in the '90s: ...
For Latin Lovers: Mark Weinstein, Claudio Roditi, Emilio Solla
by J Hunter
In many ways, the description “Latin jazz" is no more useful than the umbrella description “jazz." There are sub-genres inside the sub-genre, all of them with subtle color changes that provide different flavors, even though it all can lead to the same satisfying result. Here are three early 2010 entrants into this musical conversation.
Bill McBirnie: Mercy
by Raul d'Gama Rose
By its very nature and high and lonesome sound, the flute is a solitary instrument. Although played from ancient times, the modern flute as a solo voice has been rather seldom heard compared to other woodwind--especially reed--instruments. But non-existent it is certainly not. First Frank Wess' then Herbie Mann's and Hubert Laws' work certainly comes to ...
Masters of American Music Series: Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday
by Eugene Holley, Jr.
The Story of Jazz Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker Thelonious Monk: American Composer The Many Faces of Billie Holiday Naxos 2010 These four DVDs--separate broadcasts of the Masters of American Music TV series, originally released in eighties--seem by today's standards, like some ...
Mostly Other People Do The Killing: Forty Fort
by Raul d'Gama Rose
Several wonderful things distinguish Mostly Other People Do The Killing (MOPDtK) from almost any other band playing today in the long shadows of Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman. These are, in no particular order: a wild humor; an extreme sense of the angular melody; brave harmonies; and a leaping sense of rhythm. None of these pay ...
