Straight, No Chaser

Composer

Thelonious Monk

Arranger

Rolf Johnson

Category

Big Band

Level

Advanced

Style

Uptempo Swing

Ranges

Duration

6:28

Description

These extremely challenging uptempo variations on the blues have been recorded by the North Texas State Lab Band on its Album "Lab 73", and by the Diablo Valley College Night Jazz Band on teir CD DVC "Night Jazz Band featuring Toshiko Akiyoshi" (DVC 002). After a statement of the theme, trombone and trumpet jazz soloists have their say (Alto jazz is substituted for Trbn. in the supplied recording). What follows is a long series of choruses of writing for the band, taking the theme through a process of development which eventually culminates in a big climax, leading to a transformed version of the tune. Difficult, but definetly worth the effort.