Search - T.S. Monk :: Higher Ground

A superb record.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 10/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being the son of a legend must be fairly difficult, especially when one pursues the same career path as that legend. Such is the case with drummer T.S. Monk-- he's carved himself an odd sort of niche as a musician, playing adventerous takes on bebop/hard bop standards and originals, pulling in influences from the gamut of music and exploring the legacy he's been left with, both from his father and from his father's contemporaries. His passion for the music is apparent, and even his more uneven records a worth a listen.



"Higher Ground" has the honor of being one of freshest and best-- I suspect by and large this is due to the departure of trumpeter/arranger Don Sickler from Monk's group (although he did contribute at least some arrangements to the record). Sickler had been on all Monk's five previous albums, and his voice, both as a performer and an arranger, is as strong as the leader's on these. Replacing him is young trumpeter Winston Byrd, a performer who comes in from more of a Dizzy school and provides a soaring trumpet that T.S. Monk's band. The other big influence in the freshness of this release is likely the increased presence of pianist Ray Gallon, who performed on Monk's last record as well, and who provides even further emphasis of that New Orleans sound that Monk embraces far more than his father. Monk also augmented the band's sound by adding a percussionist-- Victor See Yuen-- to the band, which adds an additional layer and depth to the drumming, providing a denser (and somewhat looser feel to the music). Monk did retrain his two reed players-- Willie Williams (on tenor and soprano saxes and clarinet) and Bobby Porcelli (on alto sax and flute), and his group is rounded out by bassist David Jackson



Again, the album mixes originals and standards, although there is more of the former than on any of Monk's previous albums. The reed players' compositions bookend the album-- Porcelli contributes "Haristocracy", a deeply Spanish-tinged Charlie Parkeresque piece with a fierce tenor solo from Williams straight out of the late Coltrane school, and Williams' "Milennium Dance" finds the band deep in a circular and busy groove augmented by a synth line and endlessly busy percussion. A pair of Gallon compositions also receive readings-- "Missing Line" is a moody piano ballad with a nice performance by Gallon, and "Craw-Daddy" digs deep into the New Orleans sound, features a plunger trumpet performance and a deep set groove. But it's newcomer Winston Byrd's breezy "Ladera Heights" that's the real high point of the record-- featuring impassioned counterpoint from Williams on the theme and just a superb groove opened wide up by additional percussion, it's clear we can expect big things from this player.



Monk again proves diverse with the standards he picks-- Donald Byrd's "Girl Watchin'", cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Kenny Durham's "Philly Twist" and Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant" all get readings. While I confess a preference for the originals on this record, the Walton piece features a stunning vocal from Miles Griffith (who scats uncontrollably before turning over to an equally explosive solo from Byrd) and the funky chants of "Cubano Chant" work quite nicely in between some great soloing.



All in all, this is a fine album, well worth investigation. It may not be quite as good as "Monk on Monk", but it certainly stands out in the younger Monk's catalog. Highly Recommended."

Outstanding music, playing and arranging... from an underrat

NDBx | New York, NY United States | 04/25/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's what I love about T.S. Monk. All of his records are well performed and arranged and executed. Equally important they are fun to listen to. Listenable because there is a youthful exhuberance. A robustness.



He is an exceptional and underrated musician. I agree with the previous reviewer who said "..It must be hard being the son of a legend" (I paraphrase). While not reinventing the wheel, T.S., to his credit, has his own sound. Modern, driving music. I love his drumming. Crisp, rhythmic and swinging.



This recording is true to the standards that he has set. That is something he shares with his father.



The music here is refreshing, clever, swinging, fun and inventive.



"Millenium Dance" has a modern feel incorporating jazz and R&B seamlessly. Listen to T.S. propel this mid-tempo piece along. Synthesizers are used in a subtle way meshing beautifully with the horns and piano. This one is joyous.



"Crawdaddy" is a bluesy piece which swings and while modern owes as much to Ellington as to his father.



"Cubano Chant" incorporates a Latin influence, with some vocals used in that "Coro" mode meant more to punctuate more than anything else. A very strong and clever arrangement with some fine soloing.



"Ladera Heights" is a quintessential, soulful groove piece. It lays it all out there and allows for some nice sax and piano soloing.



"Missing Line" - Starts with a beautiful piano intro which is reminiscent of Thelonious' approach but not as staccato, with an introspective bent featuring some excellent flute and piano soloing.



I love "Mosaic" - featuring a crazy, for fun, vocal by Miles Griffith while the band plays in that driving style reminiscent of the best versions of "Night in Tunisia". This one has that tension and release thing going. I loved Mile's scat vocal. He does this in the best possible spirit, embracing the free spirit, joy and exhuberance of what jazz scatting is supposed to be about.



"Girl Watchin'" - Nice breaks, clever with very nice harmonies and clever little hook too. T.S. Monk really embellishes this one. Just listen to his drumming in this one. He really is at the heart of this tune's essence.



"Harristocracy" - very soulful at the beginning in a modern type of Blue Note way and then it takes off with some outstanding sax soloing while T.S. drives them along, then piece returns to that in the pocket mode then takes off again. Tension, release, tension release.



You can't go wrong getting this one. It makes me feel good when I listen to it.



The music contains a soulfulness and drive you don't find often. Especially these days in jazz, where so often, the feeling is lost in a clinical, intellectual approach.



These.....cats.......COOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







"