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Underground Horns: Funk Monk

By Elliott Simon
November 8, 2009
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Alto saxophonist

Welf Dorr

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Welf Dorr has spent the last several years putting his own unique spin on the brass band, an instrumental lineup that is usually found in NYC crossing jazz with Balkan music. Although Dorr does look to Serbia for part of his musical muse he also draws heavily on a host of things including Afro-Cuban rhythms, funk and

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk; thus the title of this release from his Underground Horns.

Tubaist Joe Keady, who must have listened to a lot of bassist Bootsy Collins during his musically formative years, more than makes up for the latter instrument's absence on this session with up-in-the-mix lines. Dorr draws on the power of a lineup that, along with his alto, includes drums, conga, tuba, trumpet and trombone to produce kick-ass dance music but doesn't devolve into parody. This is really wonderful new brassy jazz fusion music that even brushes up against psychedelia with the superb epic jam "Sympaticus" that features Keady, conguero Enrique Arrosa and drummer Kevin Raczka laying down a complex percussive background.

Alternate funky takes on

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus' homage to saxophonist

Lester Young

saxophone
1909 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Lester Young, "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," appropriately begin and close this program while the title cut achieves its stated aim as Monk's stylistic quirkiness is given a funky presentation.

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's "Miles Mode" and Monk's own "Evidence" are given similar shots of funky brass juice while the remainder of the program is stylistically diverse. "Ethio" is the most overtly Balkan sounding of the bunch and as such is an infectious charmer while Don Redman's nugget "Gee Baby (Ain't I Good 2 U)" is a slow blues burner. "Cherry" uses an infectious tuba hook to allow the musicians plenty of room to improvise and this version of bassist Tony Scherr's beautifully subtle Mid-Eastern infused "Almost Believe in Everything" amazingly maintains the tune's delicate intent.

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Track Listing

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat; Funk Monk; Ethio; Gee Baby (Ain't I Good 2 U); Cherry; Almost Believe in Everything; Miles Mode; Evidence; Sympaticus; Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (alt take).

Personnel

Welf Dorr

saxophone

Welf Dorr: alto saxophone; Mike Irwin: trumpet; Kevin Moehringer: trombone; Joe Keady: tuba; Kevin Raczka: drums; Enrique Arrosa: conga.

Album information

Title: Funk Monk | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Self Produced

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Welf Dorr Concerts

Sep 14 Sun

Welf Dorr, Luke Glavanovits, Dmitry Ishenko, Yuko Togami

The Keep
Ridgewood, NY

Sep 21 Sun

Welf Dorr, Shoko Nagai, Dmitry Ishenko, Kevin Shea

The Keep
Ridgewood, NY

Sep 28 Sun

Welf Dorr, Luke Glavanovits, Dmitry Ishenko, Yuko Togami

The Keep
Ridgewood, NY

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