The Adventurous Monk

The Adventurous Monk

Pianist Eric Reed has recorded several albums since his 1990 debut, Soldier’s Hymn. Three of those—2011's The Dancing Monk, 2012's The Baddest Monk, and 2014's The Adventurous Monk—focus on the singular oeuvre of Thelonious Monk. This release, the third, features bassist Ben Williams and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, plus sometimes tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, who also appeared on The Baddest Monk. (In 2002, Blake won the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition.) “Thelonious,” a piece from Monk’s early period, starts things off, and it swings fiercely. Hutchinson is particularly inventive on “Work,” a difficult composition that the group plays with great fluidity. “Reflections,” a sort of knotty ballad, finds Reed bringing bluesy feeling to his impressive solo, and “Evidence” is given fresh life with a version that finds the musicians operating independently but together in intriguing ways. Blake spins out a solo with great old-school feeling on the easygoing “Gallop’s Gallop,” and vocalist Charenee Wade shines on “(Dear Ruby) Ruby, My Dear,” bringing precision and power to the Sally Swisher–penned lyrics.

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