Monk Project, The

Owens, Jimmy
Ipo Recordings
Jazz | Jan 2012

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2012-01-22
JIMMY OWENS: The Monk Project
IPO, 2011

MAINSTREAM JAZZ – Spirited tribute to Thelonious Monk from a veteran trumpeter leading a talented septet. Owens does a pretty good job of putting his own spin on the material, with friendly arrangements that swing gracefully. He also underlines Monk’s links to earlier, pre-bop forms in 3,7. Rather too straight-laced perhaps, but quite pleasant.

All nice. Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9

1. 5:41 – bright bouncy swing: exuberant trumpet, oddball sax
2. 6:49 – relaxed & bluesy, tempo shifts: careful horn, nice piano & drums
3. 8:41 – old-school dragging blues: greasy solos, growling trombone; fun stuff
4. 6:55 – very friendly, easygoing sound: light horn banter, chatty bass solo
5. 6:51 – warm romance: very nice ensemble sound with airy trumpet breaks
6. 8:51 – upbeat waltz: breezy sax & trumpet fly away merrily, cute bass break
7. 5:42 – sweet lazy swing, derived from Monk’s recording of Ellington’s tune
8. 9:48 – slow, ponderous theme into gentle swing, blues-based solos
9. 4:49 – sweet ‘n’ gentle trio: flugelhorn, trombone, piano
10. 10:55 – Monk’s theme song in a gently rolling swing, but solos reach

[ Fo ] - January 2012

Recent airplay

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Charting

2012-01-22 — 2012-03-25 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Mar 18 1
Mar 11 2
Mar 4 2
Feb 26 1
Feb 19 1
Feb 12 1
Feb 5 2
Jan 29 2

Track listing

1. Bright Mississippi
2. Well You Needn't
3. Blue Monk
4. Stuffy Turkey
5. Pannonica
6. Let's Cool One
7. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
8. Brilliant Corners
9. Reflections
10. Epistrophy