"Damn, I'm Famous. Ain't That A Bitch!?!"

Thelonious Monk (piano, b. 1917 - d. 1982)

Those are the words of one of the most famous, inventive and eccentric composers in jazz--Thelonious Monk.

While there are at least five jazz pianists that can be considered the benchmark (the obvious being Duke Ellington and Jelly Roll Morton) I believe Monk is one of the first artists that would be mentioned with whom to start your collection with. And for all the complexity of his music, I too would suggest Thelonious Monk as one of the first purchases for anyone just getting into jazz (other pianist would be Dave Brubeck).

The playfulness of Monk's compositions and his ability to swing from blues type ballad to uptempo bebop was nothing but sheer masterclass. It's no wonder that you see many children learning about Thelonious Monk in music classes from an early age.

Now I think its time for the adults to take notice as well. The Monk catalog is massive so I would suggest starting with two records, Brilliant Corners (OJC) which many to consider Monk at the peak of his powers. Brilliant Corners also features stellar lineup with Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Oscar Pettiford and Ernie Henry. The other release I would recommend is a compilation, The Essential Thelonious Monk (Columbia Records). This unfortunately only covers his long tenure with Columbia Records but its does contain the most familiar material including one of two of my favorite songs of all time "Well You Needn't" and "Epistrophy."

Once you've checked out these two releases you can pretty much go in any direction for your next Monk fix.

Here's some video proof of Monk's greatness.

"Epistrophy" (Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2s6LZUdYaU

The Best Of 2009...So Far

WOW! It has been a good year so far for listening to jazz. Some of my favorites have finally resurrected themselves from the studio and released records of real quality. Here's a shortlist of a few that I have on repeat in the stereo as well as the iPod. I actually would like to talk about more but that would make today's entry a bit long in the tooth. So I will discuss those releases in the coming weeks and lets hope the rest of the year is as good as this.

Acoustic Ladyland Living With A Tiger (Strong & Wrong)

The title almost says it all. The four piece British outfit continue to lead the way in European jazz with their forth album of spellbinding, ear-splintering, rhythmic motifs that will surely be remembered at the end of the year. Here's to hoping they get even wider recognition.

Madeleine Peyroux Bare Bones (Rounder)

Finally!!! On her fifth album Madeleine Peyroux breaks through with material that brings originality to her voice. The Holiday influence is easy to pick up on first listen but by the time you're finished with this release you will realize we are dealing with a true talent.

Steve Kuhn Mostly Coltrane (ECM)

Not all Coltrane tributes go well. This one takes a lot of phenomenal twists and turns with a wonderful rendition of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". Steve Kuhn is a legendary pianist who has never done a bad record. His experimentation with each album always amounts to something very intriguing.

Joshua Redman Compass (Nonesuch)

After experimenting on his last couple of albums, saxophonist Joshua Redman has return to straightahead jazz with Compass. This album strikes the perfect balance between introspection and adventure. Compass also shows an older, wiser Joshua Redman with a new voice and vision stretching out with great clarity. A welcome return indeed.

Dave Douglas Spirit Moves (Greenleaf)

I have talked about my joy for Dave Douglas before. His new album Spirit Moves reinforces why I believe he is one of the few trumpet players who continues to push the envelope on jazz. This is a brass album. Meaning the focus is squarely on trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba--oh and drums. Sounds odd, eh!?! Well it's not. Listen and see why he is one of the few American originals at the moment.

Bill Frisell The Best Of Bill Frisell Vol.1 (Nonesuch)

I've never been a big fan of Bill Frisell as a leader. Although I have managed to enjoy his 1992 release This Land (Nonesuch) which was a nice collection of folksy Americana. Folk is the focus of The Best Of...Vol. 1, featuring a number of his more folk leaning recordings. It's actually left me quite excited to see what Vol.2 (if there is one coming) will feature.

Jazz Soundtracks — Part 10

The following are excerpts from the book Film and Television Scores, 1950-1979 (McFarland, 2008) by Kristopher Spencer, founder of Scorebaby.com.

Before blaxploitation came into being, African-American Quincy Jones equaled Schifrin’s effort in introducing funk to movie audiences in the mid to late ’60s. Q — as he’s known to many — made his reputation in the ’50s and early ’60s as a talented arranger and composer for jazz legends such as Lionel Hampton, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, and for such singing stars as Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington. Beginning in the early ’60s, Q composed numerous big budget crime movies, including four starring Sidney Poitier, Hollywood’s original, black leading man.

Jones constantly experimented with style, incorporating swinging jazz, cool bossa nova, funk, soul and pop into big band or orchestral settings. His classic crime jazz highlights of the period include “Harlem Drive” and “Rack ’em Up” (from The Pawnbroker), “Blondie Tails” (from The Deadly Affair) and “Shoot to Kill” (from Mirage).

Although it is in no way a blaxploitation film, the Academy Awards®-winning In the Heat of the Night (’67) was influential because it features not only a black actor in the leading role but also a score infused with black music. The most telling example is the Ray Charles-sung theme song, which is soulful, funky and swinging. Tracks like “Peep Freak Patrol Car” and “Cotton Curtain” feature an unexpected blend of orchestral tension, bluesy piano fills, moaning Ellington-esque horns, throaty flute squeals and vocal scats; their funk is as potent as moonshine. On “Where Whitey Ain’t Around” a mean wah guitar solo joins an already volatile vibe. Elsewhere, Jones displays his great versatility with passages of pure orchestral movie music (“Shag Bag, Hounds and Harvey”). Taken in its entirety, Heat is but one of Jones’ proto-blaxploitation outings, and not a pure example of what would be heard in the ’70s.

Two other Jones scores from this period also qualify as proto-blaxploitation: the heist flick The Lost Man (’69) and Heat’s sequel They Call Me Mister Tibbs (’70) — both starring Poitier.

The Lost Man theme blends African percussion, an angular melodic motif and a singsong chorus of chanting children to mysterious, hypnotic effect. The theme’s disconcertingly unresolved scraps of melody resurface in more satisfying form on “Main Squeeze” and “Up Against the Wall,” where complicated experimental arrangements are propelled by funky rhythms and electric instrumentation. On ‘Slum Creeper” a funky clavinet keyboard pushes the rhythm forward with slow deliberation as electric guitar competes for the sonic turf. The most straightforward track on the album may be “Sweet Soul Sister,” a catchy mid-tempo number featuring a smooth vocal performance by Nate Turner with backing vocals by the Mirettes.

While The Lost Man remains Jones’ edgiest score, his work on Tibbs proved much more popular. Although the movie isn’t considered pure blaxploitation, its theme created the template for many title tracks to come, including Hayes’ Shaft and Schifrin’s Enter the Dragon. Its hard-driving rhythm section, screaming organ blasts, punchy brass, chicken scratch guitars and vibrato-colored keyboard line set the standard for cinematic funk in ’70. Elsewhere in the score Jones continued to exploit the electric charge he’d harnessed on the theme song. “Fat Poppadaddy,” with its catchy organ lick, screaming guitar solo and fatback drum break, pushed the funk harder and faster. He busted out the blues on “Side Pocket,” with its saxophone solo and call and response between the organ, guitar and horns. Tibbs, like Heat and Lost, is chuck-full of intense, virtuoso arrangements that call upon funk, blues, soul and jazz. Without Jones’ influence, the blaxploitation sound might never have come together so quickly and so potently.

Acoustic Ladyland: Everything In One

Acoustic Ladyland (group; '00s)

The whole is the sum of its parts. Acoustic Ladyland is a four piece ensemble from London, England who have made seismic waves in the European jazz scene for almost ten years now. They probably won't have an album released in the U.S. but you can find all their albums on iTunes or order from http://www.amazon.co.uk/.

If you've been looking for a jazz, funk, rock hybrid (you have right!?!) then Acoustic Ladyland is for you. If you're looking for something to freak out your friends and neighbours (you have right!?!) then Acoustic Ladyland is for you. A frenetic mix of the scat saxophone, pulsating drums, drinding guitars and thumping bass (and sometimes an understated piano), Acoustic Ladyland will make your Fridayand/or Saturday hangover much worse but you'll enjoy the ride. Imagine Metallica adding a saxophone player. Or John Zorn joining Sonic Youth (which I think might have happened at one point in history)---enough said.

Each of Acoustic Ladyland's four albums has upped the creative qoutient, making this one of the most revered bands of the last few years. Their most recent release, Living With A Tiger (Strong & Wrong Records) doesn't disappoint. This is an unconventional and uncompromising band on every level. From their album covers which resemble an indie rock band more than jazz quartet, Acoustic Ladyland are provocative and the final output really is everything in one. Check out a couple of different aspects of the band for yourself...beware loud noises and nightmares...

"Iggy" live on Later With Jools Holland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dqr1W-4-Wo

"Cuts and Lies" (music video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXiXZpFdan0

Acoustic Ladyland Official Site: http://www.myspace.com/acousticladylandmusic