After taking on the formidable task of tackling the songbook of Thelonious Monk, guitarist Andy Summers sets his sights on another jazz giant, bassist Charles Mingus.
While the Monk project is a musical curve ball in terms of Summers' usual style, this has more of the comfortable jazz-rock fusion feel that Summers' fans are familiar with. In fact, even though the songs are all Mingus tunes, they sound very much like Summers' compositions.The lineup of supporting musicians is stellar as always. In addition to Dave Carpenter on bass and Joel Taylor on drums, the players include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Nick Ariondo on accordion, Hank Roberts on cello, John Novello on Hammond B-3 organ, Geetha Bennett on vocals, veena, and tamboura, Rob Thomas on violin, Michito Sanchez on percussion, Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, The Jazz Passengers, and The Kronos Quartet.
The album also features guest appearances by Blondie vocalist Deborah Harry on “Weird Nightmare” and rapper Q-Tip, who recites Mingus's poem “Where Can a Man Find Peace?” over Summers' stunning, stinging rendition of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.”
This is another fine showcase for Summers' patented brand of guitar wrangling.
--Raj Manoharan
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