RECORD REVIEWS

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although this is probably no one'sfault. The original master tapes are 50to 60 years old.

So why bother with theBethlehems? Because they containpermanent music that had gonemissing in the shadows of dme.

Booker lrvin is one ofthe great,lost figures in the history of jazz, thebest ofthe "Texas tenors": tough,gruff, commanding, up to his thickeyeglasses in the blues. Before hedied at 39, he was a dominatingforce on some of Charles Mingus'sbest albums, and made classics of hisown on Prestige (The Freedom Booh,The Blues Book). The Book Cooles maybe his debut as a leader, and maybe from 1960. (Bethlehem does notclari$ these points.) Ervin preachesin "The Blue Book" with soul-stirring authoriry. So does tnrmpeterTommy Turrentine, yet anotherspecial player in danger of beingforgotten. Ervin smokes the titletrack, shows his romantic (tough-love) side in "Largo," and turns"Poor Butterfly," that delicate song,into a wild wail. In Ervin's presence,Tommy Flanagan, normally the mosturbane ofpianists, gets so funky hecould be from Texas.

Every Bettrlehem release containsat least one oddity. On the Ervinalbum it is Zoot Sims showing up as a

sideman. Ervin's influence makes Sims,that master of relaxed, cool Californiaswing, sound hot enough to haverelatives in Texas.

'What are unusual about the Mingusalbum are the central role ofJackson'Wiley's cello, the classical formalismof Mingus's writing, and the subduedtone. Pieces like "Minor Intrusion"and "Ttrice Upon a Theme" are intri-cate notated designs, carefully planned.}il, jazzwins out. ThadJones and

John LaPorta (an obscure, brilliant altosaxophonist) take vivid, lyrical solos.There are two standards, creativelyreinteqpreted. In "Stormy'Weather,"LaPorta's arrangement makes a sextetsound orchestral, surrounding Jones'sgolden trumpet fire with multiplecontrasting colors and deep texfllres.In "What Is This Thing Called Love,"Mingus's chart sets into motion threedistinct melodic lines, sometimesconsonant, sometimes rlot. T1tese JazExpuiments are minor Mingus, buteven minor Mingus needs to be incirculation. -Thomas Couad

BEN MONDERHydra

Ben Monder, guitars; John Patitucci, Skoli Sverrisson,bass; Ted Poor, drums; Theo Bleckmann, Martha

Cluver, Gian Slater, voiceSunnyside 55C 1357 (CD).2013. Ben Monder, prod.;

Joe Branciforte, prod., eng., mix. DDD. TT: 78:26

PEnToRMANGE *****soNtcs *****

Guitarist Ben Monder hadn't weighedin as a bandleader since his 2005 epigOceana- So with lTydrahe aims character-istically big, offering nearly 80 minutes ofmusic, including the 24-minute, thLrough-composed tide track. ICs clear from theopening' Elysium," with its startlingsped-up arpeggios on acoustic guitar whythe album took eigkyeus. Many of therippling regrsterJeaping pars on FITdra

seem all but unplayable, yet Mondermakes them fluid and texnrally full.

The fantastical llydra also owesmuch to singer and longtime Mondercollaborator Theo Bleckmann, whosewordless legato lines and multitrackedharmonies combine with a powerfulrhythm section to create art songs youcould doubt are &om this galaxy. Twoadditional singers underscore howcentral the human voice is to Monder'smusical vision.

Blending acoustic and electricguitars throughout, Monder puts hisstaggering virtuosity in the serviceof imagination, creating lyrical calmand spooky, medieval-soundingsffangeness ("Posdude," with all threesingers and no drums). inil, Ilydragrooves, and the big, thuddy kick-drum sound of Ted Poor providesa sonic focal point, not least in thedistorted chamber-metal screamer"Tiedeca&ome." As always, Monderfavors electric bass, but in a supportiverole, not out front for solos.

Injazz terms, this is a composer'srecord, yet Monder rapturouslyimprovises in the ballad "Yugen" andelsewhere. The sound captures everyintimate string squeak, fat bass tone,waqp-speed ensemble passage, andghostly vocal swell. -o"oid R. Adl".

stereophile.com . November 2013

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