Monk'ing Around With Monk

SFJAZZ Collective Gives Flare To Music Of Thelonious Monk

The 2007 SFJAZZ Collective shown above at a previous concert. (l-r) Joshua Redman, tenor sax; Matt Penman,

bass; Miguel Zenón, alto sax; Eric Harland, drums, and Bobby Hutcherson, vibraphone.

- Photo courtesy of SFJAZZ

at

Laxson Auditorium - California State University, Chico

Thursday - March 8, 2007

by

Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

           Art is a medium that serves many purposes. It can disturb. It can cause one to think. It can define. It can celebrate. It's in keeping with that latter sentiment that the SFJAZZ Collective was organized. During its current 2007 performance season, the eight-member explosive ensemble, led by tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman who also wears the hat of Artic Director of the Collective, is celebrating works by early bop innovator Thelonious Monk. In actuality, it was more of a jubilee when this group of master musicians took the stage at a near full house in Laxson Auditorium on the campus of California State University, Chico, on Thursday, March 8, 2007. (See SFJAZZ Collective Article) The program was under the auspices of Chico Performances.

Rounding out the SFJAZZ Collective are Bobby Hutcherson, vibraphone; Miguel Zenón, alto saxophone; Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Andre Hayward, trombone; Renee Rosnes, piano; Matt Penman, bass; and Eric Harland, drums. Cohen, an Israeli émigré who has been tearing things up in the jazz world the past 10 years, was a last moment replacement for trumpeter Dave Douglas who had  to return to New York for a prior engagement.

Although Douglas was not present physically, he was present compositionally as the the Collective opened the set with a Douglas harmonically dissonant original, Alcatraz, from his San Francisco Suite. Later in the show, Douglas was reprised, this time for his arrangement of Monk's swinging bop chart, Criss Cross.

Each member of the Collective showcased their arranging prowess by giving their own interpretation of selected Monk tunes. Highlights of the evening were Redman's arrangement of Upbeat Beat, a pensive ballad piece in which the front line players projected a "layered" effect of sound in its tight ensemble playing.

Alto saxist Miguel Zenón gave Monk's San Francisco Holiday a playful twist with a Latin beat. There was some tight ensemble work once again by the front line  with some persuasive comments by Andre Hayward on the trombone.

Bassist Matt Penman gave a lazy blues feel to Monk's Crépuscule while drummer Eric Harland's own composition, Union, showcased a tight sax duet sound between Redman and Zenón as well featuring the traps artist himself on an extended and furious drum solo. It's evident why Harland is nicknamed, "Hercules." Earlier Harland and Penman teamed up to do a fat bass and drum duet intro on Monk's bouncy bop gem, Oska T.

As an encore, the Collective played Zenón's arrangement of  Epistrophy, one of Monk's earliest works. It was simply referred to as The Theme since it was used by Minton’s House band to open and close a set. It was first recorded by the Minton’s House band on June 7, 1941, but the first version by Monk appeared on his first Blue Note recordings in 1948. 

The SFJAZZ Collective is vibrant ensemble unit that projects a tight sound. 

*****