Music Monday: Monk, Trane, and Some Forgotten Voices

In October, we always listen to Thelonious Monk. His birthday is October 10th and I associate his music with the arrival of fall. Since this year is the Coltrane Centennial, it makes sense to listen to Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (1961) which is really an outstanding album. I’m particularly fond of “Off Minor” and “Epistrophy” where Coltrane is paired with Coleman Hawkins. Just check it out, if you haven’t (and I guess you have). The crazy thing is that this is second best album recorded by Monk in 1957! I’ve been interspersing this Coltrane (and Monktober) with some less well known voices. While Jimmy Forest, who I enjoyed last week, is known for his hit “Night Train” (and his work with Bassie, Grant Green, and others), Curtis Amy, who recorded almost exclusively the Los Angeles based Pacific Jazz label, remains rather more obscure (despite playing on the Door’s hit “Touch Me”). His album Katanga! (1963) is plenty fun and it pairs him with far more obscure, but talented and…