Scott Amendola, Ben Goldberg, Devin Hoff - Plays Monk (2007)

Why does it seem that the bands without pianists seem to be producing the best current interpretations of Monk material? Last year we had Ben Riley's gem, and now, (Plays Monk) - this thought provoking beauty - features the unlikely amalgamation of drummer Scott Amendola mixing it up with clarinetist Ben Goldberg and bassist Devin Hoff. Wisely, this trio doesn't try to recreate the sound of Monk's music; more often they take the melodies of these lesser known songs from the Monk canon and take them to the next idiosyncratic step. For instance, Goldberg's mid and lower ranged foray on Reflections perfectly captures the ponderously pensive mood. Amendola and Hoff furtively create a bustled rhythm on Little Rootie Tootie, while Goldberg restrains the melody by playing restrained and held back loopy notes. The tension between these two forces is joyfully palpable. The band is also able to reach the out layers of Monk's cerebellum, as on the wild and wooly Teo and & Four In One. Hoff's bass work on the latter is a roller coaster ride in itself. The idea of taking off road excursions with Monk's vehicle was a smart concept, and these guys do some remarkable ATVing with it. –All ABout Jazz Chicago/California

4 stars and half One of the essential elements in great music is the enthusiasm of the musicians. If they're not 100% behind what they're playing, then why would you care as a listener? There are moments when musicians excell at bringing this enthusiasm with the material across very well, and this CD is an example in case. Plays Monk consists of Scott Amendola on drums, Ben Goldberg on clarinet and Devin Hoff on bass, and they bring ten pieces by Monk. And what these guys do, is absolutely fabulous : the rhythm section is re-creating the tunes all by themselves, hard-hitting and very creative and modern with Monk's material, while Goldberg is trying to keep the original melodies intact, and lifting them even to unknown territory, his clarinet as fast as the right hand of the absent piano-player. Especially Amendola is fierce at times and Hoff's bass is more often running rather than walking, because they turn the tempo a notch higher than on the originals. The band's objective is to find the depth and breadth of Monk's music and they do it well, always aiming for the distilled truth of the music , as they say themselves. This is indeed music stripped to its barest essence : melody, harmony, rhythm and interplay. And the material is great, and the musicians are great. Pure joy, pure fun! What more do you want? 4 stars and 1/2 –freejazz-stef.blogspot.com

3 stars and half - In a world where personal expression perhaps carries more importance than any other musical form, the idea for jazz repertoire can be a dicey proposition. While there s no debating a classic canon, how do we evaluate contemporary interpretations of music that s already been peerlessly documented? Naturally, jazz musicians will keep trying to put their personal spin on classic as well as not so classic tunes, and we ll keep checking it out, if only to hear what we ve done with pieces we re intimately familiar with. As the trio s name makes plain, Plays Monk explores a body of work that s been increasingly dissected over the last few decades. Thelonious Monk s indelible tunes are so packed with details that further discoveries always seem to lurk. Without a piano, the trio eschews some of Monk s harmonic rigor, but the melodic-rhythmic complexity is in evidence. At times, clarinetist Ben Goldberg seems to channel Steve Lacy, hinting at the soprano saxophonist s calm mastery of Monk s music. But the album ultimately conveys how much enjoyment and energy the trio gets from the material. The arrangements sometimes pare down Monk s ideas, but this group is more interested in seeing where the tunes take them rather than reinventing them. –DownBeat

Scott Amendola - drums
Devin Hoff - bass
Ben Goldberg - clarinet

Track List:
1. Skippy
2. Boo Boo's Birthday
3. Work
4. Reflections
5. Little Rootie Tootie
6. Green Chimneys
7. Shuffle Boil
8. Four In One
9. Eronel
10. Teo


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