Search - Clark Terry, Thelonious Monk :: In Orbit

Terry & Monk In Orbit!!

Chris Covais | 03/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a underrated, somewhat, "rare" session date including the trumpeter from St. Louis, Clark Terry, jazz's most unique musician, Thelonious Monk, bassist Sam Jones, and the hippest hard bop drummer of the 50's, Philly Joe Jones, whos lifetime ambition was to preform with Monk, does it for the first and final time on this album here.



From the fast and furious swinging sensation of the first part of "In Orbit" to the 3/4 part in the same song, to the cool blues of One Foot In The Gutter, you are swung down home by four of the most happenin' jazz musicians in town!



Two things here, that make this session a good one. Clark is on flugelhorn. Its low colorful tone is a compliment to the rest of the instruments. The trumpet/piano/bass/drums format ain't one of the most regular formats heard in jazz. It is nevertheless, a pleasing one; two melow instruments and a rhythm section.



This is a swinging album! It spins frequently on my turntable. Monk, Jones, Jones, and Terry are all in good form here. This is a fine blowing session. Any hard bop fan will dig it.



"

Far from In Orbit, it barely gets off the ground

Matthew Watters | Vietnam | 06/30/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To be honest, none of the players here are doing their best work, but it's still hard to resist this album's shambolic charms. Terry does his best to hold it all together, turning in a cheerful, swinging and deliciously puckery performance throughout on flugelhorn. Monk comes charging out of the gate with a fantastic solo on "One Foot in the Gutter", but then seems to rather noticeably lose interest in the sideman role as the album wears on. On some of the later tracks, he can't even be bothered to turn in a solo, simply comping minimally. Drummer Philly Joe Jones, meanwhile, is all loosey-goosey, playing all over the place and clearing having an infectuous good time. The album's sole Monk tune (Terry's one curious artistic choice in putting together this album) is "Let's Cool One" and it's set up as a feature for Jones, who, on this showcase, comes off as a sloppier version of Art Blakey. An extra star for high spirits."