Search - Alexander Von Schlippenbach :: Plays Monk

Beautiful

John C. Graham | toronto, ontario Canada | 08/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Schlippenbach plays Monk very well, in fact. He is joined by Sunny Murray on drums and Ino Nobuyoshi on the stand up bass for this live recording from October of '96. There are 14 tunes that range from 1:17 to 7:15 minutes. It is very well recorded, clear and clean.



The tunes are all Monk standards, from "skippy", "off minor", and "evidence" to the even more familiar "round about midnight". All the tunes are played straight ahead. The interpretations are heartfelt and brilliant. There is only a hint of avant garde or "out" playing. It is an extraordinary recording in that Schlippenbach has really nailed Monk. The attention to detail is amazing.



Sunny Murray sounds great here. He propells the music magnificently and with such energy although it is a somewhat restrained Sunny Murray in that traditional timekeeping is employed. The drumming is never overpowering, rather, it is understated and embellishes neatly.



Ino Nobuyoshi handles the bass chores in just the right way. There's lots of walking and swaggering, providing the Monk melodies with the appropriate swing.



This is a great cd, one that will keep you boppin' your head and toes every time you hear it. If you're a Monk fan you'll love it. Great price here for an import. Snag it while you can."