Plays Monk

Scott Amendola (Artist), Ben Goldberg (Artist), Devin Hoff (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 11, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Long Song Records
• ASIN: B000W9ERN0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,575 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Why does it seem that the bands without pianists seem to be producing the best current interpretations of Monk material? Last year we had Ben Riley's gem, and now, (Plays Monk) - this thought provoking beauty - features the unlikely amalgamation of drummer Scott Amendola mixing it up with clarinetist Ben Goldberg and bassist Devin Hoff. Wisely, this trio doesn't try to recreate the sound of Monk's music; more often they take the melodies of these lesser known songs from the Monk canon and take them to the next idiosyncratic step. For instance, Goldberg's mid and lower ranged foray on Reflections perfectly captures the ponderously pensive mood. Amendola and Hoff furtively create a bustled rhythm on Little Rootie Tootie, while Goldberg restrains the melody by playing restrained and held back loopy notes. The tension between these two forces is joyfully palpable. The band is also able to reach the out layers of Monk's cerebellum, as on the wild and wooly Teo and & Four In One. Hoff's bass work on the latter is a roller coaster ride in itself. The idea of taking off road excursions with Monk's vehicle was a smart concept, and these guys do some remarkable ATVing with it. --All ABout Jazz Chicago/California

Product Description
Featuring Ben Goldberg on clarinet, Devin Hoff on bass and Scott Amendola on drums & production. Devin Hoff and Scott Amendola are the great rhythm team for the Nels Cline Singers. Devin, Scott & clarinet wiz, Ben Goldberg, are also members of Nels Cline's New Monastery / Andrew Hill project. On this rich offering, the trio plays ten Thelonius Monk compositions in their own quirky way. Skippy is taken at a brisk tempo and has an infectious, happy vibe. Very nice to hear this trio playing a few of the rarer Monk tunes like Shuffle Boil and Boo Boo's Birthday. What makes this disc so fine is the way the trio plays these tunes, all of which were written at and often feature a piano at the center. With spirited versions of Little Rootie Tootie, Four in One; and Teo; how can they go wrong? An excellent offering.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your average Monk tribute album, May 23, 2008

By	ccex (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This CD is a must have for any hard-core Thelonious Monk fan. I knew of drummer Scott Amendola through Charlie Hunter's adventurous band, T.J. Kirk, which played only the music of Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. When I saw that Scott Amendola had a new CD of only Monk tunes - and relatively obscure ones at that - I was quick to click "complete checkout".

In an era where jazz is in danger of becoming ossified and institutionalized like so much great classical music, Thelonious Monk tributes are as common as senior recitals at a music conservatory. Many of them exist just to prove that the improviser can clear the obligatory hurdle of the now-respected composer's knotty compositions. Some of them make me believe that Monk is now decomposing, or at least rolling over in his grave, as 21st century musicians still can't get his compositions right (Monk, in his lifetime complained about Miles Davis playing the wrong chord changes on his tunes, or even Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane's abilities to play his melodies correctly). Where live jazz is played, most bands call the most popular Monk tunes and never dig into the points of the tunes that give them Monk's special sense of twisted, rhyming logic, or as Monk said "making the wrong notes sound right."

This CD has no pianist, organist, or even a guitarist. It can be pigeonholed as a jazz trio, which it is, but it's just drums, bass, and clarinet. To make matters more interesting, the musicians are white boys who started playing after Monk died, and the melodies are carried by a clarinetist named Ben Goldberg who comes from a klezmer background. Goldberg does a wonderful job of channelling soprano Steve Lacy, who made a long career of new ways to play Monk tunes on an unfashionable instrument.

This music is not for everyone. It is danceable, especially if you know the tunes, but even most jazz musicians will admit that tunes like "Skippy", "Four In One", "Boo Boo's Birthday", and "Work" have become relatively neglected due the difficulty of getting them right.

This is a current band, and not a one-time project. I wish them well and hope that on their next release they can tackle the likes of "Gallop's Gallop", "Brilliant Corners", "Raise Four", or "Played Twice". I'm sure they're up to the task.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive reinterpretation of Monk, April 13, 2008

By	A. Gillette (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A few years ago, three talented Berkeley-based jazz musicians decided to form a band in which they would play only Thelonious Monk compositions. It was an odd choice, in a way, since Monk is a famous pianist and composed for the piano, but the "Plays Monk" trio is made of drums, bass, and a clarinet. Still, it works. The clarinetist (Ben Goldberg) floats over the drums and bass with the same frenzied or laid-back feels that characterized Monk's own variegated style. The bassist (Devin Hoff) supports the melody and carries a number of thoughtful solos across the album. The drummer (Scott Amendola) keeps the beats changing and pushes on the rest of the trio. I realized that my favorite tracks are all tunes that I recognized (Reflections (tk 4), Four In One (tk 8), and Teo (tk 10)) but every track on this album is a clever construction and each is an enjoyable listen.