Peter Bernstein "Monk"
Guitarist Peter Bernstein’s new trio CD “Monk” on the Xanadu label is a collection of twelve Thelonious Monk compositions with Bill Stewart (d) and Doug Weiss (b); one of these, “Reflections” is a duet Bernstein recorded with himself.
It seems that dry is the new wet. Jazz recordings, once bathed in gooey reverb, are trending toward the austere. Production values ebb and flow like any other fashion, of course, but this new/old sound has a solid basis in common sense. Namely, that scaling back production excess preserves the intimacy of a performance, giving the listener an up-close view into the artist. “Dry” recordings also provide a type of status symbol for some musicians since it’s a format that exposes every musical nuance clearly. Errors, particularly rhythmic, have no cave in which to hide.
Xanadu the label behind this CD discusses these virtues at length in the liner notes. They forbid compression, EQ, retakes, overdubs, and while they’re at, digital recordings. They add “it takes musicians of the caliber of Pete, Bill, and Doug to pull this off, especially with material as difficult as the compositions as Thelonious Monk.” To further bolster their audiophile cadre, a detailed recording equipment inventory is included — detailed, as in, no one apart from recording engineers would care, much less understand, what’s being described.
That’s the setting for this CD. Reading all this, it’s easy to worry that the music won’t be able to get past its own importance. Fortunately the ever-masterful Peter Bernstein remains focused on providing intimate performances through his playing, not ideology or technology.
As to the music, there’s no question that the program on “Monk” is exceedingly difficult. Thelonious Monk, if nothing else, was a sinister craftsmen. Naturally it requires a seasoned, studied jazz musician to execute his works both accurately and tastefully. But as it is with the recording gadgets, no one apart from jazz students and self-proclaimed aficionados would care about that. Bernstein makes it all sound so relaxed anyway. Even the notoriously challenging “Brilliant Corners” falls into a mellow retelling. The trio offers a fantastic rendition of “Pannonica”, the odd 33-bar ballad with the ever-modulating melody, as well as a punchy 5/4 version of “Well, You Needn’t”. “Blues 5 Spot” swings like your married neighbor in The Ice Storm. And the closing number, Bernstein’s tasteful solo/duet on “Reflections”, leaves us with a lasting statement of absolute musical beauty. Price of admission on that one.
It’s probably a given that any trio with Bill Stewart on drums is all the better because of it. Stewart supports his fellow musicians with an inventiveness heard only in the likes of Paul Motian or Joey Baron. Doug Weiss, another understated, flawless player, navigates the terrain of Monk with the same ease as his bandmates.
These tracks were all recorded live. Given the stark nature of the recording, a little audience chatter, glass clinking, even clapping could have warmed up the disc a bit. As it is, “Monk” comes across like a cold, gray day in Manhattan. Perhaps that was their intent. Musically though, it’s close to perfect. Peter Bernstein: my vote for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition.
