In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall 1959

[Hoppy T. Frog]

I saw this Sunday night in Washington DC, one night after the piece's world premiere at Duke University as part of that Thelonious Monk fest they've been having in NC. Incorporating film, recorded voices (Monk and others), and creative lighting, it was certainly not a "recreation" of the 1959 Town Hall gig. Monk's tunes were played by an Octet including members of the Bandwagon and Ralph Alessi; Moran's piano playing avoided outright imitation. There was humor in the presentation especially in the snippets of Monk conversation throughout the show, and a long recorded excerpt from what might have been rehearsals for the Town Hall show. Overall I found it very moving and free of cliche.

Anyone else see it?

[ejp626]

He'll be bringing the show to Chicago in about two weeks, and I have tickets to see it. It sounds fairly interesting.

[Patrick]

Hey Hoppy, I was there at the DC show as well, and enjoyed it. Jason personalized it some by playing a taped interview of him explaining how he first heard some of the Monk recordings being played by his folks at home--apparently one such instance was when his parents had something like Crepuscule on while the television (sound turned down) presented coverage of the death of a revered local politician. In at least two places, Moran had headphones on and was apparently playing with the Town Hall recording, but we only heard his piano part. Later in the presentation, all musicians put headphones on and started to play--presumably this was each of them playing along/improvising with the same tune, but not listening to the other members of the live ensemble. An interesting brew. Definitely historically based, but as you say, absent of cliche.

Did you stick around for Bad Plus after the break? In about an hour they managed to squeeze in (among a handful of originals) "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "Tom Sawyer" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (or whatever that tune is). While a fan of their first two Columbia albums, I was a bit underwhelmed. At least it is obvious that BP drummer Dave King really enjoys percussing.

Gotta say, really lame presentation by Washington Performing Arts Society. Don't know if the Moran show was added at the last minute, but no programs and a lame set of announcements that dragged on at the beginning. Hopefully the Sonny Rollins show in the spring will not suffer these inadequacies.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

Hey Hoppy, I was there at the DC show as well, and enjoyed it. Jason personalized it some by playing a taped interview of him explaining how he first heard some of the Monk recordings being played by his folks at home--apparently one such instance was when his parents had something like Crepuscule on while the television (sound turned down) presented coverage of the death of a revered local politician. In at least two places, Moran had headphones on and was apparently playing with the Town Hall recording, but we only heard his piano part. Later in the presentation, all musicians put headphones on and started to play--presumably this was each of them playing along/improvising with the same tune, but not listening to the other members of the live ensemble. An interesting brew. Definitely historically based, but as you say, absent of cliche.

Did you stick around for Bad Plus after the break? In about an hour they managed to squeeze in (among a handful of originals) "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "Tom Sawyer" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (or whatever that tune is). While a fan of their first two Columbia albums, I was a bit underwhelmed. At least it is obvious that BP drummer Dave King really enjoys percussing.

Gotta say, really lame presentation by Washington Performing Arts Society. Don't know if the Moran show was added at the last minute, but no programs and a lame set of announcements that dragged on at the beginning. Hopefully the Sonny Rollins show in the spring will not suffer these inadequacies.

All I know about the Bad Plus is what I read in the papers, but I came in with an open mind. I was unimpressed with the originals (can't remember them to save my life), and I thought they did nothing with the covers. I was nonplussed to see they got a standing O when Moran didn't.

The presenter was terrible, implying that Jason Moran and the Bad Plus were doing "In My Mind" together, which may have explained why half he audience left during intermission.