Re: [Harp-L] Monk Alters Chi

[Richard Hammersley <rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is available for download ($8.88 entire album) at
http://payplay.fm/michalekstrone

Richard

On 23 Aug 2008, at 06:46, Jonathan Metts wrote:

> I've had this CD for a couple of years but have never written about  
> it before, and I haven't seen it discussed either.  It's by Michalek/ 
> Strohne, i.e. Harp-L's own Buddha/Gypsy with his former bass  
> partner.  I've had the disc in my car for the past week and have  
> fallen in love with it yet again, so I wanted to share some thoughts.
>
> Monk Alters Chi is both a harmonica album and a jazz album, and it  
> exists as both simultaneously and in perfect harmony.  I say it's a  
> harmonica album because Chris's playing is right up front in every  
> song.  Most of the tracks have no other lead instrument, or even any  
> chordal instrument at all.  Others feature lovely mandolin playing  
> for a little Celtic flavor, but the harmonica is always the star.   
> Aside from the unusual musical context, what sets the playing on  
> this album apart for me is how technical the playing is at such slow  
> tempos.  Chris can definitely play fast (and he does on "Freedom  
> Fries"), but much of the harmonica on this album is quite slow and  
> even sparse.  The way it holds your attention is largely due to the  
> mind-blowing vibrato; the way Chris uses it here makes me realize  
> what an important technique this is on the instrument, and how it  
> can open up melodies that just wouldn't sound good otherwise.
>
> Secondly, this is a jazz album.  Like most jazz, it didn't grab me  
> on the first or even second listen.  I must have heard Kind of Blue  
> half a dozen times before I started to really pay attention to it.   
> The nice thing about Monk Alters Chi is that it's very diverse  
> within the loose definition of jazz music.  There are many  
> variations and styles, and it gets particularly crazy towards the  
> end.  There aren't many players who could record an entire album of  
> jazz on the diatonic, much less one this good, and I cherish it  
> among my collection of blues-heavy harmonica music.  The great thing  
> about Chris's playing is that while it will often trick your mind  
> into thinking "that sounds like a chromatic!" or "that could only be  
> played on a chromatic!", he will suddenly throw in a hearty bend or  
> other flourish that is distinctly diatonic in nature. The only other  
> time I've had this kind of mental confusion from hearing a harmonica  
> was seeing Howard Levy play his diatonic concerto with the Nashville  
> Chamber Orchestra.  (I get easily confused by Jason Ricci's playing  
> too, but that's a completely different though equally wonderful  
> phenomenon.)
>
> I'm eagerly awaiting the Buddha's next album and have to ask about  
> it every time I talk to him.  I know it has been held up for  
> numerous reasons, but it will be worth the wait.  Until then, there  
> are plenty of you who need to catch up with Monk Alters Chi.  Any  
> fan of Toots, Levy, Stevie Wonder, Django Reinhardt, jazz, or  
> astounding harmonica playing will probably love it.  I've played it  
> for many friends who loved it despite having a dislike or  
> disinterest in other harmonica music.  I'm not doing PR for Chris,  
> nor did I tell him that I was going to post this.  I just got so  
> enthusiastic about the album that I had to finally say something to  
> my fellow Harp-Lers.  Seek out this fantastic piece of music.
>
> Jonathan Metts
> Boulder, CO
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Richard Hammersley
Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown