Most of the titles on this album are derived from
Thelonious Monk's vast catalog of bop standards. Both co-leaders are at the peak of their respective prowess with insightful interpretations of nearly half a dozen inspired performances from this incarnation of the
Blakey-led
Jazz Messengers. This combo features
Art Blakey (drums),
Johnny Griffin (tenor sax),
Bill Hardman (trumpet), and
Spanky Debrest (bass). Immediately,
Hardman ups the ante with a piledriving lead during "Evidence" that underscores the heavy-hitting nature of this particular jazz confab.
Monk counters with some powerful and inspired runs that are sonically splintered by the enthusiastic -- if not practically percussive -- chord progressions and highly logistic phrasings from the pianist. The inherent melodic buoyancy on "In Walked Bud" contains a springboard-like quality, with
Griffin matching
Monk's bounce measure for measure.
Griffin's incessant efforts create a freshness to the tune that often escapes other less inspired readings. From
Blakey's boisterous opening on "Blue Monk" through to
Monk's single-note crescendo during the finale,
the Jazz Messengers provide a lethargic propulsion that showcases the melody's bluesy origins. This directly contrasts the uptempo charge of "Rhythm-A-Ning." The quirky yet catchy chorus glides with the dual-lead horn section as the entire arrangement is tautly bound by the understated
Debrest and
Blakey.
Griffin's "Purple Shades" is the only non-
Monk composition that this aggregate recorded. This smartly syncopated blues seems better suited for
the Jazz Messengers than for
Monk. However, the pianist's opening solo alternately shimmers and shudders with
Debrest as well as
Griffin and
Hardman, who demonstrate their own pronounced capabilities over
Monk's otherwise occasional counterpoint. ~ Lindsay Planer