Guitarist
Andy Summers long ago shed his
Police-man's uniform to take a stab at being a jazz fusion guitarist, and this is his toughest test, tackling 13 of
Thelonious Monk's most well known pieces. His backing band has some considerable talent; drummer
Peter Erskine, organist
Joey DeFrancesco, trumpeter
Walt Fowler and cellist
Hank Roberts are outstanding jazz musicians, and prove their mettle throughout. The CD overall is inconsistent, starting with an out-of-tune bass and an inaccurate reading of the title track. But it gets much better with horn charts, the precise
Erskine and searing
DeFrancesco saving grace on "Hackensack." Then they really get down with
Monk's stealth
Misterioso feel on "Brilliant Corners," and an economical
Summers works effectively on "Monk's Dream."
Sting sings "'Round Midnight" and botches the lyrics, but they come back strong for most of the remainder of the disc, especially with a pristine take on "Ugly Beauty," a moderately raucous "Think of One," a free-for-all "Light Blue/Rhythm-A-Ning," with
Erskine cutting loose, and
Summers' courteous solo acoustic finale on "Ruby My Dear."
Summers is rather noodle prone, though a sharp-edged
John Abercrombie-type tone creeps in occasionally. You do hear considerable riffing, and less improvisation, so if you're more into
Jeff Beck than, say,
Larry Coryell, bon appétit. There's a fluid ease in
Summers' playing that suggests a real comfort zone and genuine love for this music. Sometimes that can go a long way, but still, this is for special tastes outside mainstream jazz.