MILES OKAZAKI: Work - The Complete Compositions Of Thelonious Monk
self-released, 2018

JAZZ GUITAR – Over the course of his career, Thelonious Monk wrote 70 compositions or so (the actual number is a matter of debate, and he never recorded some). In this six-disc set, Guitarist Miles Okazaki, best known as a member of Steve Coleman's band, plays the entire Monk songbook solo, using a 1978 Gibson archtop with no overdubs or added effects. Like putting the tunes under an X-ray to see the architectural bones, these technically challenging arrangements stick close to melody even in experimental improvisation, while also capturing Monk's sense of rhythm, humor, and oddball harmonics. Lots of fun ideas here; listen for nods to many other guitarists.

FO'S PICKS:

Disc 1 — 2, 3, 6, 7, 9
Disc 2 — 1, 2, 3, 8, 10
Disc 3 — 2, 4, 6, 8, 9
Disc 4 — 1, 4, 7, 8, 10
Disc 5 — 2, 4, 5, 10, 11
Disc 6 — 3, 4, 6, 9, 10

DISC ONE
1. 3:51 – chugging staccato rhythm
2. 3:24 – knotty fast/slow fractal
3. 4:02 – complex twists & turns
4. 2:21 – relaxed; oblique but lyrical
5. 4:21 – hard rhythmic stomp
6. 2:47 – ballad, played straight up
7. 3:37 – light with a dense center
8. 2:51 – relaxed chicken-strut
9. 4:00 – off-center lope + filigree
10. 3:21 – relaxed wander & drone
11. 3:12 – jagged uptempo riffing
12. 5:21 – tune-up intro, weird ballad
13. 3:28 – slow, bluesy experiment

DISC TWO
1. 3:02 – bright, playful & friendly
2. 2:48 – busy tune, probing solo
3. 2:05 – shifting rhythm, spins
4. 2:36 – lightly tumbling, complex
5. 3:49 – a chugging, jabbing motor
6. 4:08 – sticky harmonic clusters
7. 1:42 – fast repetitive minimalism
8. 4:03 – speedy spins & swoops
9. 3:24 – spare refracted ballad
10. 5:37 – laid-back folksy swing
11. 8:44 – relaxed swing gets knotty
12. 6:16 – a cool slow blues

DISC THREE
1. 4:09 – breezy tune, pulsing solo
2. 3:52 – bright, chugs high & low
3. 3:32 – Monk + Wes Montgomery
4. 2:40 – a cool downhill stroll
5. 5:15 – dusky ballad opens gently
6. 5:39 – relaxed single-note lines
7. 2:20 – explores a weird chord
8. 2:17 – happy skip/bounce
9. 2:07 – open, bittersweet ballad
10. 2:45 – spins in broken circles
11. 7:13 – chill; long exploratory solo
12. 4:02 – friendly blues gets tight

DISC FOUR
1. 4:12 – rolling Brazilian rhythm
2. 3:40 – odd shape-shifting tune
3. 5:15 – plays with a jabbing riff
4. 4:58 – knotty improv, late melody
5. 2:59 – gentle ballad musings
6. 4:58 – cool uncomfortable chords
7. 2:39 – fast: melodic yet spiky
8. 5:19 – relaxed ballad, open feel
9. 5:16 – jabs, bobs & weaves
10. 4:27 – rolling bop; riff in four keys
11. 4:20 – slow & easygoing blues

DISC FIVE
1. 4:30 – relaxed stroll, tricky bits
2. 3:58 – oblique, confident ride
3. 4:37 – mixed-tempo folksy glide
4. 4:12 – lively swing & weird hops
5. 6:05 – contemplative ballad
6. 4:38 – quick pulse alters melody
7. 6:06 – steady quarter-note stroll
8. 3:34 – folksy children's melody
9. 2:25 – gently reaches and falls
10. 3:28 – quick & percussive
11. 4:11 – upbeat: a merry blues

DISC SIX
1. 2:30 – rolling train huffs & puffs
2. 2:49 – twisty medium tempo
3. 2:07 – funky uptempo robo-strut
4. 2:57 – uptempo: tricky yet sweet
5. 5:49 – introspective ballad
6. 4:22 – relaxed roll, playful edges
7. 2:54 – rough stuttering uptempo
8. 4:45 – lazy stepping stones
9. 5:11 – classic ballad, beautiful
10. 8:55 – exploratory, takes its time
11. 5:07 – very slow blues

[ Fo ] - November 2018