Alexander Von Schlippenbach's "Monk Casino"

[MartyJazz]

In the latest (Aug 2006) issue of JazzTimes, Gary Giddens in his "Cadenza" column (p22) discusses the Pulitzer Prize's belated recognition of Monk while critiquing their awards and citation division for the inappropriateness of its European standards when applied to the judgment of jazz music. Anyway, during the course of the article, he mentions that one of this year's "enthralling recordings is Alexander Von Schlippenbach's Monk Casino: The Complete Works of Thelonious Monk (Intakt), a three-disc quintet rendering of 70 pieces, many in medley form, some for a theme chorus, others as spurs to improvisation." I confess that despite my many years of listening to a wide variety of music that is categorized as "jazz", I am really unfamiliar with Von Schlippenbach. Anyone heard any or all of this release and would care to share his/her opinion?

[Nate Dorward]

Schlippenbach is one of the great European pianists--best known as a "free" player but he's done standards albums & Monk albums too. He's also well-known as the leader of the Globe Unity Orchestra, one of the longest-running European big bands (it seems to be disbanded now, but it went for over 3 decades in various formations).

That said, I thought Monk's Casino wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped. There's a bootleg recording of the same group from a different concert which is much hotter IMHO. That said, a lot of people seemed to really like this set, so what do I know....

If you want great recent-vintage Schlippenbach, try the two discs on Psi (both of them in a "free" vein): Broomriding is a terrific quartet disc (it has a couple Dolphy covers & a wacky variant on "All the Things", incidentally, aside from the free stuff), & America 2003 is a great document of a recent tour with Evan Parker & Paul Lytton.

Maybe others here would chip in with rec.s of AVS's more "mainstream" discs, an area of his work I know much less well?

[clifford_thornton]

Payan is a serious piece, though I guess not all *that* mainstream. I would think it would have wider appeal than the trio/quartet of Parker, Lovens and Kowald, however. There is a solo album of Monk and other standards as well, I think, though I'm blanking on its title.

Man, I'm at a loss for straight-ahead Shlippenbach records... the Schoof on CBS is pretty straight, from '66, though that hasn't been reissued on CD unfortunately.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Globe Unity still exists. It's playing at least one of the European festivals this year.

[Nate Dorward]

Oh, that's good to hear. Though my impression is that it's more of an occasionally convened thing than a regular band at this point.

THere's a trio disc of Monk tunes on Enja from the 1990s I recall.

[relyles]

My only exposure to Schlippenbach has been through various unofficial live recordings, including the performance of Monk tunes Nate referenced above. The Monk stuf includes Rudi Mahall, who I have really enjoyed hearing on bass clarinet and is overall very good. I have also heard a quartet date with Mahall, Tristan Honsinger and Paul Lovens that was somewhat of a Dolphy tribute and very interesting. With that said, I have enjoyed much less Schlippenbach's slightly more "out" quartet with Evan Parker, Peter Kowald and Lovens.

I would be interested in hearing the trio disc on Enja Nate referenced and the few people I know that have heard Monk's Casino (other than Nate) rated it highly.

[ep1str0phy]

Oh, that's good to hear. Though my impression is that it's more of an occasionally convened thing than a regular band at this point.

THere's a trio disc of Monk tunes on Enja from the 1990s I recall.

When was the last time Globe Unity was a regular band? Probably before I came into the music...

[Bol]

I got this set a couple of weeks ago, and I've listened to it through only once. So far, I like it a lot. Dorner and Mahall form a very nice and exciting front line. And I find that Schlippenbach is quite interesting. On his avant garde dates, he has a tendency to pounce a bit much for my taste. But not on these recordings. I also recommend Schlippenbach's wife Aki Takase's recordings: one with David Murray playing Monk tunes, and one with Rudi Mahall playing Dolphy tunes. A lot of fun, those two discs.

If you want to buy the Schlippenbach set, I think Squidco has the best price, and free shipping.

[clifford_thornton]

Oh, that's good to hear. Though my impression is that it's more of an occasionally convened thing than a regular band at this point.

THere's a trio disc of Monk tunes on Enja from the 1990s I recall.

When was the last time Globe Unity was a regular band? Probably before I came into the music...

[Nate Dorward]

Well, my impression may be largely via the longer & longer gaps between recordings--in particular the 14 years between the 20th Anniversary Concert (FMP, 1986) & Globe Unity 2002 (Intakt, I think released in 2004?). The EFI website lists 13 records or singles from 1966-1982 by contrast.

Mahall is a very interesting player, in fact just about everything of his I've heard is excellent. (If you want to hear him in a somewhat more "mainstream" setting try hunting down his work with Geoff Goodman). The one exception, oddly enough, is his (only?) solo disc on Psi, which is extremely dull. Far better to get hold of the limited-edition solo set on Berlin Reeds from Absinth.

[bertrand]

Does he really play every known Monk tune, including 'Two Timer', 'A Merrier Christmas' and "Harlem Is Awful Messy'?

Bertrand.

[mikeweil]

Track list:

CD 1

• Thelonious

• Locomotive

• Trinkle-Tinkle

• Stuffy Turkey

• Coming On The Hudson

• Bemsha Swing

• 52nd Street Theme

• Pannonica

• Evidence

• Misterioso

• Sixteen

• Skippy

• Monk's Point

• Green Chimneys

• Little Rootie Tootie

• San Francisco Holiday

• Off Minor

• Gallop's Gallop

• Crepuscule With Nellie

• Hackensack

• Consecutive Second’s

CD 2

• Brilliant Corners

• Eronel

• Monk's Dream

• Shuffle Boil

• Hornin' In

• Criss Cross

• Introspection

• Ruby, My Dear

• In Walked Bud

• Let's Cool One

• Let's Call This

• Jackie-ing

• Humph

• Functional

• Work

• I Mean You

• Monk's Mood

• Four In One

• Round About Midnight

• Played Twice

• Friday The 13th

• Ugly Beauty

• Bye-Ya / Oska T.

CD 3

• Bolivar Blues

• Well You Needn't

• Brake's Sake

• Nutty

• Who Knows

• Boo Boo's Birthday

• Ask Me Now

• Think Of One

• Raise Four

• Japanese Folk Song

• Blue Monk

• Bright Mississippi

• Reflections

• Five Spot Blues

• Children's Song

• Blue Hawk

• We See

• Blue Sphere

• Light Blue

• Teo

• North Of The Sunset

• Rhythm-a-Ning

• Straight No Chaser

• Epistrophy

Source: http://www.intaktrec.ch/100-a.htm

So, another incomplete complete works .....

Edited June 27, 2006 by mikeweil

[Guest Chaney]

Does he really play every known Monk tune, including 'Two Timer', 'A Merrier Christmas' and "Harlem Is Awful Messy'?

Bertrand.

Disc Three: Bolivar Blues/Well You Needn’t/ Brake’s Sake/ Nutty/ Who Knows/Blue Hawk/North Of The Sunset/Blue Sphere/Something in Blue/ Boo Boo’s Birthday/ Ask Me Now/ Think Of One/ Raise Four/ Japanese Folk Song/Children’s Song/Blue Monk/ We See/ Bright Mississippi/ Reflections/ Five Spot Blues/ Light Blue/ Teo/ Rhythm-a-ning/ A Merrier Christmas*/ Straight No Chaser/Epistrophy.

(...)

The third disc pitches a few other curveballs as Schlippenbach and Dörner switch instruments for a mishmash medley of “Japanese Folk Song,” “Children’s Song” and “Blue Monk.” Toward the set’s close Aki Takase takes the stage for fleeting rumination on “A Merrier Christmas,” her tinkly toy piano an amusingly pranksome presence recalling Monk’s own late-50s experiments with celeste.

(...)

Aki Takase*- toy piano

Derek Taylor

[bertrand]

What's 'Consecutive Seconds'?

Bertrand.

[Guest Chaney]

What's 'Consecutive Seconds'?

Bertrand.

(...)

When an opportunity presents itself to really swing hard or rock out, though, the quintet jumps on it: "Green Chimneys" boogaloos wickedly, "Consecutive Seconds" (not a Monk tune at all in fact, but by Oliver Nelson) sounds like it should have been released on Stax, and if you're feet don't start tapping during "We See", well, you've probably died and just haven't realised it yet.

(...)

Dan Warburton

+ + + + + + + + + +

I just have one helluva time listening to this set without craving Monk as played by Monk.

Aside from the medleys (MAN I hate medleys!) the respect shown by Intakt and the musicians involved is admirable but I just don't see an overwhelming reason for the existence of this set. I'd think more of this endeavor if the musicians had more often stamped the material with their own personalities. As it is, for me, it's too much a museum piece: enjoyable recreations of tunes but not much more. (I have a hard time with music produced simply to please. The musicians have fun, the crowd has fun... and I'm in the audience, grimacing.)

Funny to compare this set with the two Braxton Standards sets on Leo. Maybe I'm displeased with the Monk as none of the musicians involved exhibits -- at least as presented in this set -- the startling talent of guitarist Kevin O'Neil. A strangely creaky Braxton drops out, O'Neil solos and the music soars. One standout player can make such a huge difference.

Edited June 28, 2006 by Chaney

[ep1str0phy]

Well, my impression may be largely via the longer & longer gaps between recordings--in particular the 14 years between the 20th Anniversary Concert (FMP, 1986) & Globe Unity 2002 (Intakt, I think released in 2004?). The EFI website lists 13 records or singles from 1966-1982 by contrast.

Actually wasn't being sarcastic--just curious as to how 'involved' the members were back in the day (I know a few standbys practically always return). But hey, playing this music, it's hard for frequent to be frequent, dig? Nice that they're around, anyhow. -_-

So this thread is making me rethink turning down this set not too long ago (out of curiosity, anyhow).

[king ubu]

I saw the whole project live here in Zurich, last fall, and they were terrific. The whole thing went down in two nocturne concerts of probably 90-100 minutes, on consecutive nights. The band is actually not at all Schlippenbach's, neither is it his project. Rather it's the project/idea of "Die Enttäuschung" (band name, translates to disappointment, frustration or letdown), and Schlippenbach sort of added himself. Obviously his name being the best known, it was further regarded (and released by Intakt) as his project.

Anyway, it showed in the music that Dörner and Mahall had much more to do with it than Schlipp. The first night, the whole thing would have been better without him, in fact - he sounded tired and turned in but a few lacklustre solos. Second night he was *much* better, playing with much more presence and ideas. What was remarkable was that the whole project was totally unamplified. Bassist Jan Roder has a nice woody sound and the drumset of Uli Jenessen's was tuned and played as to never get into the way and covering the bass. Dörner has monster chops, really impressive, but never felt like showing off, not at all. Beautiful sound, too.... Mahall, on the other hand, is the expressionist of the group, playing with total exuberance and virtuosity, often moving around in a rather spastic weird way. A few tunes added some kind of "show" effects, like the one where Schlippenbach played trumpet (his own instrument, btw, not Dörner's) while Axel Dörner sat at the piano - Schlipp did quite well (bad chops, but a couple of nice ideas), while Dörner just noodled around a bit... then there's one tune they play while laying flat on the floor (Roder below his bass...), and there was that one that really turned into a performance piece, actually... Jenessen has a big red rubber ball that makes this boomy sound when bumping at the floor, and that's the beat. The two horns chased him through the whole room, kicking the ball away, while he had to run after it and wasn't allowed to miss a beat... that was pretty funny, and musically it still worked very well. During another tune, Dörner sat behind the light board and when he darkened the whole room, the band had to stop and pick up again once he turned the lights on...

So, live this was a really great experience, and if anyone can check it out, I'd recommend to do so!

I don't have the CD and am hesitant to buy it, since the live experience will prove to have been much better anyway, regardless of how good the CD might be.

@ bertrand: why not contact Dörner and/or Mahall and send them copies of those two missing tunes? I'm sure they'd be all for it!

[mikeweil]

So the Xmas piece is on the third disc? I copied that track list directly from the label's website .....

[Nate Dorward]

So the Xmas piece is on the third disc? I copied that track list directly from the label's website .....

Yep, it's there, although it's actually a cameo appearance of AVS's wife Aki Takase on toy piano!

[jlhoots]

Maybe a minority viewpoint, but I really like Monk's Casino.

[Nate Dorward]

Not a minority viewpoint at all, but it does seem to get a range of responses.

Incidentally, anyone noticed that the cover art on each disc is littered with typos? My favourite is "Little Poetic Tootie".

[Guest Chaney]

It's an enjoyable set. My dissatisfaction has more to do with me and my interests than with anything else. I had hoped that the material would be performed in a more daring manner and as it's not, I'm disappointed.

[Johnny E]

America 2003 is a great document of a recent tour with Evan Parker & Paul Lytton

I saw these guys in Seattle in 2003. Schlippenbach opened some amazing Monk stream-of-consciousness solo playing that blew my mind! I don't think he had it planned out at all...just skipping from one monk to the next, seamlessly - some of his more obscure compositions to boot. He's an incredible keysmith. Can't wait to hear 'Monk Casino'.

[Clunky]

any tips on where to get this , amazon.uk don't seem to list it. The boot from DaD got me hooked.

[Peter]

At first listen Monk's Casino didn't do much for me. Now after 4 listens, I really love it. The music is full of weird angles, quirks and eccentricities, but still swings. Out-there but also very much in the pocket. For those interested, I thin dimeadozen.com has several other live perfomances available to torrent.