Jamming With Thelonius Monk and Johnny Cash

Album Reviews #3 and #4 of 100: ‘Monk’s Music’ and ‘With His Hot and Blue Guitar!’

In my first article about the ‘100 New Albums in 2022’ challenge that I’m participating in, I wrote about how I’m going to be musically traveling back and forth between 1956 and 2022 as I do the challenge. I started in 1956 with my review of Elvis Presley’s first album. Then I moved ahead to 2022 and reviewed the newest album from The Cactus Blossoms.

I then searched through a list of albums released in 1957 to find my next “new” album to listen to. I was pleasantly surprised to find several from that year that looked interesting to me. I narrowed it down to two albums and was going to do a coin toss to determine which one to explore, but then I said to myself, “Self, go ahead and do both of them!” And that’s what I did, since I don’t like arguing with myself.

Monk’s Music — The Thelonius Monk Septet

First of all, I need to say that I love the front cover of this album. How incredibly cool! If I ever learn how to play music and I decide to record an album with my own septet (note to self: find out what ‘septet’ means), then I want to be pictured on the front cover of my album in a wagon — just like Thelonius Monk was on this one.

As for the music of Thelonius Monk, I’m almost completely unfamiliar with it. I’ve known his name for my entire life, but prior to hearing this album, I couldn’t tell you the name of any of his songs. I’m sure that there are several I’ve heard and enjoyed at different times in my life, but I probably wasn’t aware at those times that they were by him.

Since the major point of my doing this challenge is to expose myself to music I’m unfamiliar with, I decided to give Monk’s Music a listen. And, oh man, I’m glad I did. I loved it right from the opening track, “Abide With Me.”

The next song is “Well, You Needn’t” and it’s my favorite on the album. Thelonius Monk and his band seriously jam on this one! It’s a great, long song that clocks in at 11:24. My favorite part of it is when you can hear Thelonius Monk call out, “Coltrane, Coltrane!” to saxophonist John Coltrane, right before Coltrane plays a fantastic sax solo.

Well, You Needn’t

My favorite next to “Well, You Needn’t” is “Epistrophy,” which is another great long, jamming song that is over ten minutes long.

There’s not a bad song on this album. One thing I love about it is that all of the songs are instrumentals — really, really good instrumentals. I see myself listening to this album a lot in my future. I’m also going to be seeking out other music by Thelonius Monk. I have a feeling I’m going to fall in love with a lot of it.

Out of a possible 5 stars, I give Monk’s Music…drumroll, please…4 stars!

And now for something completely different…

Johnny Cash With His Hot and Blue Guitar!

With His Hot and Blue Guitar was Johnny Cash’s debut album. Johnny Cash is another artist who I’ve always known about, but I actually know very little of his music. I’m familiar with some of his big hit songs like “Walk The Line,” “Ring Of Fire,” and “A Boy Named Sue,” but I doubt I could name even three more songs by him. I haven’t even seen the popular Walk The Line movie starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.

Therefore, I felt Johnny Cash’s debut album would be a good place for me to dive in and get more familiar with his music. I’m glad I did, because I like this album quite a bit.

Here are some of my favorites from it:

“Rock Island Line” — When this one started, I didn’t think I was going to like it. Very early on in the song, Johnny sings about livestock: cows, pigs, sheep, and mules. Now, I’ve got nothing against farm animals, but I’m a “city guy” and I didn’t think this song was going to be for me.

But it got better. And it got catchy — very catchy. It’s been playing a lot in my head and I haven’t minded it being up there.

“Country Boy” — This is another one in which I cannot at all relate to the lyrics. Johnny sings about a country boy working on his farm, putting a wiggly worm on a hook before goin’ fishing, and catching a rabbit and skinning his hide because it’s going to be tasty when it’s fried.

That’s totally not my lifestyle. This “city boy” typically works in his office while drinking fancy, schmancy coffees before ordering pizza or Chinese food for my lunches and dinners.

But I still like “Country Boy” a lot! It’s catchy and fun and it’s been stuck up in my head with the other song I already mentioned.

“So Doggone Lonesome” — Let’s face it: there just aren’t enough song titles with the word “doggone” in them. I’m right, right?

This is another very catchy tune. I love the music in it — especially the bass playing.

The only song on the album that I don’t especially care for is “I Was There When It Happened.” It’s okay, but it doesn’t do much for me and I’ll most likely skip over it when I listen to the album in the future — which I definitely plan on doing.

Johnny Cash With His Hot and Blue Guitar! is pretty awesome. Out of a possible 5 stars, I give it…drumroll, please…4 stars!

Here are both of the albums on Spotify. Enjoy.

As I mentioned earlier, I wrote this article as part of the ‘100 New Albums In 2022 Challenge.’ The challenge was created by writer Nia Simone McLeod. Other writers participating in it are Kevin Alexander, Rob Janicke, Nicole Brown, Mary DeVries, and M. Berg. Click on their names to be transported to their wonderful words.

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