CD Odyssey Disc 314: Thelonious Monk

After a long dry spell, I was able to buy 4 new CDs this past week. I got the last of Ronnie James Dio's good solo albums ("Sacred Heart"), the new Decemberists album (thanks to Catherine for introducing me to them), another Nick Cave ("Nocturama") and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (thanks to Nick for inspiring that purchase).

Under the rules, I could have automatically chosen any of them to review as new to the collection, but I prefer a little randomness in my life, so I went ahead and let the dice gods choose instead.

Disc 314 is...Monk's Dream

Artist: Thelonious Monk

Year of Release: 1963

What’s Up With The Cover?: A profile shot of Thelonious Monk looking cool and groovy - because that is what jazz musicians do.

How I Came To Know It: Ever since getting a Monk compilation album I've been dabbling in his studio records. I first bought his 1968 effort, "Underground" (reviewed way back at Disc 117) and that encouraged me to put a second toe in the water - that toe is "Monk's Dream".

How It Stacks Up: My use of 'dabbled' above may have been a bit overly ambitious. I only have two of Monk's studio albums (plus the best of, which can't be properly rated). Of the two, I much prefer "Monk's Dream".

Rating: 4 stars.

I always dreaded this day would come - a third review where I have to discuss Thelonious Monk, with all my clever anectodes about how I don't know anything about jazz used up.

I was tempted to get all post-modernist, and discuss the placement of this particular album in the history of jazz, or to go on about Charlie Rouse's tenor saxophone, but I won't. This blog isn't about plagiarizing liner notes, nor is it about 10 minute research projects online that would allow me to fake knowing something. It is about my personal reaction to the music, and so I'll stick with that.

Playfully jumpy and full of life. That is how I would characterize this record. It makes you want to snap your fingers along with the drum and puts a swagger in your step (but hopefully not in your driving, because that would just be dangerous). It is music for the active mind, and it engages you almost meditatively - filling your head with the sublime math that is music.

I listened to the first half this album in the car on the way to and from the gym this morning. I wouldn't recommend these songs for your MP3 player when you're on the treadmill, but for the trip there and back they put me in a relaxed yet alert state of mind. Jazz has a busy flow that works well with traffic - you feel part of it instead of feeling frustrated by it. I find myself wondering how I'd like it on an empty, dusty country road in my home town - I think it would be alright.

I listened to the second half while painting this afternoon. I was a little nervous that sitting still wouldn't work with the upbeat sounds of the record, but they ended up going together very well. The music makes you think hard, but it doesn't force your thoughts in any particular direction. As a result, your mind wanders, but it does so in a controlled manner.

This is partly because "Monk's Dream" ranges around a lot, but never noodles. Half the songs on the record are over 6 minutes in length, but they never feel overlong; they feel just long enough. In fact, it is the longer tracks that I found myself enjoying more.

Monk will establish a musical theme, play it until you've got the groove solidly in your backbone, and then start to expirement with it with sax and piano solos that build off the initial theme, but never abandon it (kind of like how a good metal guitar solo works).

The songs on "Monk's Dream" always maintain enough of their original structure (and frequently come back to it) so you can keep up. All jazz musicians like to show off, but on this record Monk wants to ensure he brings his audience along, rather than make an effort to alienate you with their talent. (For those who prefer jazz to abuse your lack of musical knowledge, listen to the rambling and pointless "Sketches of Spain" by Miles Davis).

In fact, I bet if I knew anything about jazz, I'd have been tempted to give "Monk's Dream" five stars. Since I don't, I'll stick with four.

Best tracks: Monk's Dream, Bright Mississippi, Five Spot Blues, Bye-Ya

CD Odyssey Disc 117: Thelonious Monk

The next disc in the Odyssey is a return to jazz. If you like jazz, you better really enjoy this review, because I don't have very much of it.

Disc 117 is...Underground
Artist: Thelonious Monk

Year of Release: 1968

How I Came To Know It: I had a "best of" Thelonious Monk album (wich I reviewed way way back at Disc 5) and I wanted to get an actual album. I picked this one because I liked the write up on the back, and because it had none of the songs on my compilation album.

But who am I kidding? I also picked it because it has a kick ass cover featuring Thelonious dressed up as a French partisan in the second world war. I particularly dig his hot Maquis girlfriend in the background.

How It Stacks Up: Since the only other album by Monk that I have is a "best of" this album doesn't have anything to compare to. I'd like to get more, but I'm not sure I put jazz on often enough to justify it.

Rating: 3 stars.

I don't like a lot of modern jazz, but I have a soft spot for a few artists that made their music in the fifties and sixties. Of these few, Monk is definitely my favourite.

I'm not going to say a lot about this record musically, other than that I enjoyed it. Frankly, I don't know enough about what the hell is going on to comment. Then again, I have a strong suspicion three quarters of the people that stand around at cocktail parties and discuss jazz don't know what the hell they are talking about either.

Therefore, I'll stick with the basics. Generally, I like Monk best when he is in a fast groove, rather than his introspective moody stuff. On this album, that means I prefer "Thelonious" and "Raise Four" as the more accessible and upbeat tracks.

"Thelonious" is an example of how self-absorbed jazz musicians can be. I mean the song is named after the writer. On the "best of" album I've got he has two more of these - "Monk's Dream" and "Blue Monk." That's up there with Queensryche writing a song called "Queen of the Reich.

The other song "Raise Four," feels like it is riffing off of the Dave Brubeck song "Take Five" - it has a similar vibe. The title implies that's the case as well, but I have no true idea.

My friend Penelope once told me "To appreciate jazz, you first have to know what tune they are fucking with." I thought this hilarious, and for the uninitiated like me, it is as good a theory as any. Anyway, the suggestion alone made "Raise Four" that much more enjoyable.

This particular CD release has great production, but sadly has felt the need to include three bonus tracks. They are all just different "Takes" of songs already on the album, which is pretty lame.

I suppose there is some guy out there that is very excited that this album has the coveted Take 2 of "Boo Boo's Birthday" - since the original album decided to go with Take 11. I am not that guy. "Boo Boo's Birthday" sounds pretty much the same to me twice over.

The liner notes to this record are way too pretentious with one notable exception. On one page it looks like they've kept the original back cover of the record, which has this ridiculous back story about "Capitaine Monk." The notes make out like the room he is photoed in is actually his Manhattan apartment, and that he actually was in the Maquis during the second world war. It ends with this little bit of prose:

"Actually, the title of this album, UNDERGROUND, is something of a misnomer - Monk surfaced long ago! He has been committing thelonious assaults on certain hidebound enclaves of jazz since the mid-Forties. Oh yes, about the girl with the firearm in the background. No explanation was asked, nor was one forthcoming."

Yeah - I noticed her too.

Best tracks: Thelonious, Raise Four

CD Odyssey Disc 5: Thelonious Monk

OK - it has come to my attention that I called disc 4 disc 5 in my last entry. Let it be known that this is in fact now Disc 5 - all other disc 5s in the CD Odyssey are imposters.

Disc 5 is...This Is Jazz 5: Thelonious Monk



Artist: Thelonious Monk

Year of Release: 1996, but the music is from 1963-1968

How I Came To Know It: I can't remember. I'm pretty sure I never had any friends or ex-girlfriends that were into Thelonious Monk, and I'm not all that into jazz. Back in about 1991 I had a brief stint trying to "get" jazz. I'd go down to Herman's Jazz Bar and try to soak it in, and figure it out. I gave up after about 9 months or so. Besides, I couldn't get anyone to go and jazz girls were really hard to pick up. Maybe I was just doing it wrong...

How It Stacks Up: Not Applicable. This is not a Thelonious Monk album per se - it is a best of/greatest hits. It isn't a real album at all in that way, so it can't be rated. I do have one actual Thelonious Monk album "Underground" which I will stack up when I get there.

Rating: Not applicable. Best ofs aren't really rateable, but if they were, I'd give Thelonious 5 stars. Yeah, you heard me right, punchy.

As I mentioned earlier, jazz never came easy to me. It is a complicated music, and sometimes I think they're just doing that to piss the rest of us off. After my initial foray in 1991, I gave up on jazz for years.

The timing is hazy, but maybe about ten years ago I gave it another shot, and I had heard good things about Thelonious Monk. Turns out, those things were right. Whether it was just the right time in my life, or whether it was the magic of Thelonious' piano (and the kick-ass Charlie Rouse on Sax) it worked this time.

I'll never be a huge jazz fan, but I have an appreciation for certain artists - mostly old stuff like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dave Brubeck. Stuff that is simple enough that I get it.

Monk (and Rouse, who should get half the billing on this one) can really play, even by the high standards of jazz musicians. Half the time, I can't believe the notes they are laying down, and the other half I am enthralled by the perfect use of pause between notes.

This album is all good - it makes you want to get up and dance in a crazy fashion, or just sit at a red light and flail your arms around like an idiot. Yes, I do these things.

I do listen to this one a fair bit - more than any other jazz record I have, but I still have a tough time knowing which track is which. They are all good. My friend Penelope says that to understand jazz you first "have to know what song they're fucking with". Maybe that's so, but I'm too much of a neophyte to know if it's true. I choose to think it is, because it's a saucy theory, and includes swears.

Sadly, there are folks out there that think the only good music is jazz. Attention you closed-minded folks - you are about as right as the people who think only hip hop has good music. Except you probably have less friends.

Sorry - couldn't resist a poke at musical snobbery. There are a lot of ways to express the beauty of the world through music, and to limit yourself to just one seems the height of foolishness. Free your mind, and the rest will follow, as En Vogue once said. We know En Vogue was right, because they looked soooo good on that runway...

Back to Monk - he's great. If you don't love jazz, or don't know jazz I'd say start with either this or Dave Brubeck - you can't go wrong with them. May you have better luck than me understanding the stuff that comes after.

Best tracks: Blue Monk, Rhythym-A-Ning, Monk's Dream