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Johnny Griffin & Eddie Lockjaw Davis - Lookin' at Monk (1961) Genre: Jazz / bop, hard bop Recording Date: February 7, 1961 | Time: 38:30 | Label: Jazzland/OJC

AMG:

Originally recorded in 1961, this tribute program features two of the best tenor saxophonists of the period along with pianist Junior Mance and a rhythm section composed of bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley (both of whom would later work as Thelonious Monk sidemen). If the program seems a bit obvious ("'Round Midnight," "Epistrophy," "Well, You Needn't," etc.), bear in mind that this was only the second all-Monk program anyone had recorded and several of these numbers had yet to attain standard status. The playing is uniformly inventive and witty (both required attributes when approaching this repertoire), and Mance is particularly to be commended for maintaining a graceful and elegant attack and not trying to praise Monk by imitation. If there's a complaint to be made here, it's with the tempos, which sometimes verge on the headlong. The arrangement of "Well, You Needn't" suffers from too much forward momentum, as does "I Mean You." On the other hand, the group's vigorous approach to "Rhythm-A-Ning" (and the honking two-note tag they append to the head) is perfect.

Amazon.com:

When the two tough tenors waxed this record in 1961, the idea of a Thelonious Monk tribute was fresh, daring, and affectionate--not at all the overdone and uninspired exercise that it can often be decades later. Johnny Griffin had already been an integral part of Monk's late-1950s quartet; bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley would wind up joining Monk's band just three years later. The contrasting but compatible styles of the two leaders teach a valuable lesson in what makes Monk's music special: Davis offers soulful, blues-based, earthbound lines while Griffin tends toward feisty, soaring, far-reaching sounds, but both capture the essence of Monk's compositions. Pianist Junior Mance's chord-feeding isn't as jagged as Monk's, but is no less effective. As fiery as the five hot numbers are, the two ballads--Griffin on "'Round Midnight" and Davis on "Ruby, My Dear"--are just as impressive. Both Davis and Griffin are capable of having their own unique voices shine through while still upholding the spirit of Monk's ideas.

Personnel:

Johnny Griffin (tenor sax)

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor sax)

Junior Mance (piano)

Larry Gales (bass)

Ben Riley (drums)



Tracks:

1. In Walked Bud (4:34)

2. Well, You Needn't (5:31)

3. Ruby, My Dear (4:39)

4. Rhythm-A-Ning (3:53)

5. Epistrophy (8:36)

6. 'Round Midnight (5:25)

7. Stickball (I Mean You) (5:52)

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