Dominic Duval & Jimmy Halperin - Monk Dreams 2005

Dominic Duval - bass
Jimmy Halperin - tenor and soprano saxophones

1. Brilliant Corners (5'38)
2. Off Minor (3'50)
3. Epistrophy (7'08)
4. Monk's Dream (7'34)
5. Trinkle, Tinkle (4'28)
6. Evidence (5'18)
7. Bye-Ya (4'38)
8. Criss Cross (4'07)
9. Blue Monk (4'44)
10. Ruby, My Dear (6'09)
11. Brilliant Corners (Alternative) 5'38

Notes by Stuart Broomer, All About Jazz
All Compositions by Thelonious Monk, arranged by Dominic Duval and Jimmy Halperin
2009 NoBusiness Records NBCD 2
Edition of 1000 CD's
Recorded December 5, 2005

rapidshare pt 1 - pt 2 - pt 3

There's something almost contradictory about Monk compositions: they're insistently individualistic, built on odd chord changes with often minimalist melodies. But as idiosyncratic as they are, they often succeed in bringing out what's best in the musicians playing them, as if those tunes are open to individuality as well as being the product of it. Through the years musicians of wildly divergent styles have approached Monk's music: the piquant Steve Lacy, exuberant Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, amiably bombastic Misha Mengelberg and magisterial Coleman Hawkins. These two trips into the Monk canon may not produce results as distinctive as any of those but they're solid efforts possessed of substantial personality...

…The duo of saxophonist Jimmy Halperin and bassist Dominic Duval let you know right away what side of Monk they're most interested in, opening and closing with "Brilliant Corners," perhaps the most 'angular' and abrasive of Monk's compositions. Halperin and Duval take it in stride—well, make that tense stride. Halperin really leans into this music, creating swirling patterns on "Off Minor," "Blue Monk" and "Monk's Dream" that gives them a very different feel from the usual accounts. Duval provides solid support, articulating the themes with characteristic ease. The duo enjoys consistent communication, creating a fine three-way dialogue with Monk's compositions. Halperin's exploratory edge is evident throughout. The duo released a similar CD of Monk tunes a couple of years ago, called Monkinus, on CIMP. Monk Dreams isn't a sequel. It was actually recorded earlier and includes many of the same tunes. It's a good date, however, interesting in itself as well as a complement to the later recording.

Thanks to s.e.l.i.m