# Following its release in 1974: Who’s Afraid of the Big Band Monk? Video

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2017/12/28/following-its-release-in-1974-whos-afraid-of-the-big-band-monk-video/
- Published: 2017-12-28T12:36:28+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Columbia was scorned by jazz fans and critics. The double album featured Thelonious
Monk recorded in 1963 and 1968 with large ensembles. The earlier live date covered
both sides of the first record and was arranged by Hall Overton. **

The second record was a studio date arranged by Oliver Nelson. I loved the album—
the Nelson material much more so than the Overton record—and never quite understood
why so many dismissed it.

⌊Download⌉⌊Download⌉
 Yesterday, I gave the album a re-listen. I hadn’t heard it
since the ’70s and found the Nelson record even stronger than I remember it. The
Nelson album originally was released as _Monk’s Blues_ and reissued in ’74. His 
arrangements, with their tightly pressed reeds and wailing brass, were the perfect
foil for Monk’s jagged runs and percussive pecking. Nelson (above) did a magnificent
job crafting each chart with Monk’s mood and keyboard attack in mind. To have Monk
along for the tribute made Nelson’s music even more fascinating and engaging.

⌊Monk-and-overton-smith⌉⌊Monk-and-overton-smith⌉
 The first album consists of _I
Mean You,__ Evidence, Oska T, Four in One _and_ Epistrophy._ It was recorded at 
New York’s Lincoln Center on Dec. 30, 1963. The band featured Thad Jones (cnt), 
Nick Travis (tp), Eddie Bert (tb), Steve Lacy (sop), Phil Woods (as,cl), Charlie
Rouse (ts), Gene Allen (bars,cl,b-cl), Thelonious Monk (p), Butch Warren (b) and
Frankie Dunlop (d). Hall Overton arranged. [Photo of Thelonious Monk and Hall Overton
by W. Eugene Smith]

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 The
second album featured_ Let’s Cool One, Reflections, Rootie Tootie, Just a Glance
at Love, Brilliant Corners, Consecutive Seconds, Monk’s Point, Trinkle Tinkle_ and
_Straight No Chaser._ They were recorded in Los Angeles on Nov. 20, 1968. The mind-
blowing big band included Bobby Bryant, Conte Candoli and Freddie Hill (tp); Billy
Byers, Mike Wimberly and Lou Blackburn (tb) and/or Bob Bralinger (tb); Ernie Watts(
as); Charlie Rouse (ts) on solos; Ernie Small (bars); Tom Scott (ts,fl); Buddy Collette(
as,fl) and/or Gene Cipriano (reeds); Thelonious Monk (p); Howard Roberts (g); Larry
Gales (b); Ben Riley and John Guerin (d), with arranger Oliver Nelson conducting.

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 The
Nelson material represents the most ambitious and successful band interpretations
of Monks music until Bill Holman’s _Brilliant Corners: The Music of Thelonious Monk_
in 1997. I suspect part of the long-standing snootiness over the Nelson session 
had to do with where it was recorded—on the West Coast. The other issue for Monk-
ites probably had to do with the album’s cover, which featured an illustration of
a wolf with Monk’s face. Both were pretty dumb beefs all things considered.

Listening back now, it’s hard to have anything but praise for Nelson’s integration
of his orchestra and Monk’s piano. I only wish Nelson and Monk had recorded a couple
more albums like this one.

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