John Tchicai has long been devoted to avant-garde jazz, having played with
Albert Ayler,
John Coltrane, and
Pierre Dorge's New Jungle Orchestra, plus extensively recording as a leader. This session is a bit of a twist, as producer
Nils Winther responded to
Tchicai's interest in recording once more for
Steeplechase by suggesting that he switch back from tenor to alto, while also devoting most of his program to the music of
Thelonious Monk. While this might seem restrictive to most artists,
Tchicai flourished in this setting, borrowing his wife's instrument and quickly finding common ground with veterans
Steve LaSpina (bass) and
Billy Drummond (drums) and the fast-rising younger pianist
George Colligan. While songbook-type CDs often come off as tepid affairs,
Tchicai's staccato approach to the alto and his way of often extending its range to where it sounds much like a soprano gives this predominately ballad collection a very fresh sound. Of particular interest is the leader's choice of relative obscurities like
"Coming on the Hudson" and
"Light Blue." The CD opens and closes with
"Monk's Mood," the opener with the full band and the finale (which was actually recorded first) omitting
Drummond, both of which feature
Colligan on a Hammond organ that happened to be available in the recording studio.
Tchicai also adds two originals to the mix, the free jazz vehicle
"Cool Copy" and a loose reworking of
Monk's
"Ask Me Now," titled
"Ask Him Now." While this session may not be as free-form as many
Tchicai fans would prefer, it is very valuable music and proves to be an excellent introduction to those who might not already be familiar with this veteran's recorded output. ~ Ken Dryden
