Episode 51:: Blakey's Jazz Message

As promised 2 weeks ago (on his actual birthday), here is finally an hour dedicated to the incredible drummer Art Blakey, especially his popular, long-running, and ground-breaking band, the Jazz Messengers, whose sound has become so central to our conception of Jazz as to be almost hegemonic.

Blakey, who later in life converted to Islam and accepted the name "Buhaina," or just "Boo" among his friends - participated in the BeBop revolution as we heard in recordings in Episode 49 - and later lead a counter-revolution of his own in the mid-1950s. By taking the lessons of small ensemble and virtuosic solos from the Beboppers, and returning to a focus on rhythmic swing, linear melodies, and audience-accessible music, he helped establish (along with the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quartet & Miles Davis's Quintet) a genre which become codified as "Hardbop."

By the mid-60s, Blakey was not only a superb drummer and bandleader, but a virtual king-maker, bringing up young jazz talent and teaching them how to get the most out of their talents both instrumentally, professionally, and even personally. It was a trend he continued for the remainder of his life, introducing jazz greats of several generation to the world until his passing in 1990.

Even a partial roster of Blakey's Messengers is astounding: Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller, Bobby Timmons, Freddie Hubbard, Walter Davis Jr., Reggie Workman, Cedar Walton, Jackie McLean, Keith Jarrett, Chuck Mangione, Wallace Roney, Benny Golson, Bobby Watson, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, James Williams and more!!!

Audio

Playlist

1. Art Blakey All-Stars - Wee-Dot - A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2
2. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Avila & Tequila - At Cafe Bohemia, vol. 2
3. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Roots & Herbs - Roots & Herbs
4. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Calling Miss Kadijha - Indestructible
5. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Giantis - Like Someone in Love
6. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Pensativa - Free For All

::WSRP:: Shouldn't we Really have saved "Boo" for the Halloween special?

Episode 50:: Thelonious Monk pt 2

We continue Last Week's webroadcast with the second (and final) look at the life and music of Thelonious Sphere Monk. Whereas Episode 49 focused on his early career - especially the Blue Note Trios and his breakout collaborations of 1957 - this week we look to the great body of music Monk made in the latter half of his career, essentially the 1960s.

Here we find Monk an established figure in the jazz world, appreciated for his individual approach and seemingly endless creativity. For the most part, he settles into a quartet milieu, working with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse. But as must be the case, exceptions abound, and we are obviously the better off for them.

This concludes what is at best a scant look at Monk and his Music, but I hope it affords you some temporary enjoyment, and some guideposts for pursuing further listening on your own.

Audio

Playlist

1. Thelonious Monk- Criss Cross - Criss Cross
2. Monk - Lu Lu's Back in Town - Monk's Time
3. Monk - Monk's point - Solo Monk
4. Thelonious Monk Big Band - Trinkle, Tinkle - Who's Afraid of the Big Band Monk
5. Thelonious Monk Big Band - Let's Cool One - Who's Afraid of the Big Band Monk
6. Monk - Straight, No Chaser - Straight, No Chaser
7. Monk - Green Chimneys - Underground
8. Monk - Nutty - Live at the Black Lion

WSRP:: Epistrophy, Apostrophe, Catastrophe, Catostro-WSRP.

Episode 49:: Thelonious Monk pt 1

Thelonious Sphere Monk, b. 10/10/1917, is one of the most distinct figures in all of jazz, and despite his humble origins and initial discrediting by much of the jazz world, he is today universally counted among the greatest piano players and composers ever - regardless of genre. His tunes - which were at first so unusual as to be outright rejected, and once accepted, so dreaded for their high degree of difficulty - have become an enormous part of the imperative jazz song book.

A man derided as having no technique prior to his 30s, he became well-known only in his 40s, and by his early 50s enjoyed a degree of fame paralleled in jazz only by Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington.

To suggest that Monk was a nebulous character suggests a void - a lack of information explaining why his music and his life appear at first glance so unique. But information abounds - both biographical and audio records - yet his eclecticism remains paramount even 20+ years after his passing.

Clearly, we all need to listen to more Monk. Now we can.

Audio

Playlist

1. Thelonious Monk - Four in One - Genius of Modern Music, vol. 1
2. Monk - Well, You Needn't - Genius of Modern Music, vol. 2
3. Monk - Bye-Ya - Prestige, Complete Thelonious Monk
4. Monk - Nice Work if You Can Get it - Genius of Modern Music, vol. 1
5. Monk - Tea for Two - The Unique Thelonious Monk
6. Monk - Bemsha Swing - Brilliant Corners
7. Monk - Off Minor - Monk's Music
8. Thelonious Monk & Gerry Mulligan - I Mean You - Mulligan Meets Monk
9. Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - Blue Monk - at Carnegie Hall
10. Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - Epistrophy - at Carnegie Hall
11. Thelonious Monk & Art Blakey - Rhythm-a-ning - Blakey & Monk

WSRP:: Monk, Monk, Monk, Goose!

Episode 48: Indie-Pop-Rock, Folks

Old habits, right? After skipping our "regular" indie session in episode 44, I have since come across a pool of recordings I just can't stop listening to, and am thus taking the exceptional coincidence of the 48th episode to share them with you.

If you're looking for a better rationale, that's the best you're going to get.

We start with the newest pop mega-buster from Phoenix, then some hard rock from Jack White, followed by long sets of dark-rather-than-sappy love songs, and finish with sweet obscurity.

Audio

Playlist

1. Phoenix - 1901 - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
2. MGMT - Kids - Oracular Spectacular
3. The Mountain Goats - Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton - All Hail West Texas
4. The White Stripes - Rag and Bone - Icky Thump
5. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution - Consolers of the Lonely
6. The White Strips - You Don't Know what Love is - Icky Thump
7. The Mountain Goats - Love Love Love - The Sunset Tree
8. David Bazan - Hard to Be - Curse the Branches
9. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You - I and Love and You
10. William Shatner & Ben Folds - In Love - (iTunes only)
11. Andrew Bird - Fitz and the Dizzy Spells - Noble Beast
12. Amy Millan - I Will Follow You into the Dark - Masters of the Burial
13. The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You - s/t

::WSRP:: Perhaps not destined to be a professional wedding DJ.