Jamming With Thelonius Monk and Johnny Cash

Album Reviews #3 and #4 of 100: ‘Monk’s Music’ and ‘With His Hot and Blue Guitar!’

In my first article about the ‘100 New Albums in 2022’ challenge that I’m participating in, I wrote about how I’m going to be musically traveling back and forth between 1956 and 2022 as I do the challenge. I started in 1956 with my review of Elvis Presley’s first album. Then I moved ahead to 2022 and reviewed the newest album from The Cactus Blossoms.

I then searched through a list of albums released in 1957 to find my next “new” album to listen to. I was pleasantly surprised to find several from that year that looked interesting to me. I narrowed it down to two albums and was going to do a coin toss to determine which one to explore, but then I said to myself, “Self, go ahead and do both of them!” And that’s what I did, since I don’t like arguing with myself.

First of all, I need to say that I love the front cover of this album. How incredibly cool! If I ever learn how to play music and I decide to record an album with my own septet (note to self: find out what ‘septet’ means), then I want to be pictured on the front cover of my album in a wagon — just like Thelonius Monk was on this one.

As for the music of Thelonius Monk, I’m almost completely unfamiliar with it. I’ve known his name for my entire life, but prior to hearing this album, I couldn’t tell you the name of any of his songs. I’m sure that there are several I’ve heard and enjoyed at different times in my life, but I probably wasn’t aware at those times that they were by him.

The next song is “Well, You Needn’t” and it’s my favorite on the album. Thelonius Monk and his band seriously jam on this one! It’s a great, long song that clocks in at 11:24…

Related posts:

Yesterday it was my one of the closest friend’s birthday and they were having a birthday bash at his house just like all the passed by years and I went there despite knowing that most of the people…

Have your 20-something old ass been shamed by a 40+ years old leader for being emotional and not thinking big/ thinking about company first/ from a leader’s perspective I have been given the “golden…