Wardell Gray - Monk

[Dmitry]

Right from the git go I tell you I'm not very well versed in the oevre of Wardell Gray, so a few days ago I dropped his "One For Prez" cd in the player and went about my business in the next room. Then all of a sudden I hear this tune that sounds like Monk, but it's othing like I heard before and it's so cool I drop whatever I'm doing and go check it out. Dell's Bells! Holy Smokes, this sounded like something Monk wrote. Easy Swing is even more Monk than Dell's Bells. What the @#$ is going on here?!

As the cd kept spinng I kinda figured out that Charlie Rouse must've listened to a lot of Wardell Gray in his day. So did Monk, probably. The connection is definitely there. Am I imagining things here?

What do you think?

[BeBop]

It's not a connection I'd made, nor one I'd ever read about (despite extensive time spent with Mr. Gray's legacy). Which isn't to say... Rather, I'll have to spend a little time listening and considering. Thank you for the inspiration.

Edited May 10, 2006 by BeBop

[BeBop]

Since I don't have this recording at hand, perhaps you can confirm for me one thing (to refresh my memory), this is the "What is This Thing Called Love" re-working? I'm easily confused.

One connection I might suggest back to Monk is Dodo Marmarosa.

[brownie]

Seems that Wardell Gray was among the musicians at the jam sessions Thelonious Monk held at the Royal Roost in the late '40s. Ira Gitler heard them at the time.

[Dmitry]

Since I don't have this recording at hand, perhaps you can confirm for me one thing (to refresh my memory), this is the "What is This Thing Called Love" re-working? I'm easily confused.

One connection I might suggest back to Monk is Dodo Marmarosa.

Tracks:

--1: Dell's Bells

--2: One For Prez

--3: Man I Love, The

--4: Easy Swing

--5: Great Lie, The

--6: Dell's Bells

--7: One For Prez

--8: Man I Love, The

--9: Easy Swing

--10: Dell's Bells - (previously unreleased)

--11: Dell's Bells - (previously unreleased)

--12: Dell's Bells - (previously unreleased)

--13: Man I Love, The - (previously unreleased)

--14: One For Prez - (previously unreleased)

--15: One For Prez - (previously unreleased)

--16: One For Prez - (previously unreleased)

Notes: Personnel: Wardell Gray (tenor saxophone); Dodo Marmarosa (piano); Red Callender (bass); Harold "Doc" West, Chuck Thompson (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, California on November 23, 1946. Includes liner notes by Alun Morgan.

Producer: Alan Bates

[mikeweil]

There is another Black Lion CD Citizens Bop with Gray and Dexter Gordon which duplicates the four master takes from your CD but is still worth seeking out.

I too, bought this used, and was not disappointed - Gray was the most boppish of all Lester Young disciples, methinks, with a good dose of Charlie Parker, very fluent, his own man, and somwhat stronger in sound than the Brothers, but still not as hard sounding as Dexter. I always liked him a lot.

I will have another listen tomorrow for that Monkish overtones.