It’s inevitable where jazz codes are concerned that when you see the word “sphere” in a title that it’s going to be something to do with the work of Thelonious Sphere Monk.
And so it goes on this brightly voiced piano and vibes duo album. Anything with Jorge Rossy on it, in my view, is worth a listen. I’m not at all familiar with his playing partner twentysomething French pianist Noé Sécula, however. Getting to know him via familiar classics is a good idea.
They rub along well together. It’s a comfort blanket in a cruel world to hear Thelonious Monk tunes. But this isn’t an indulgent trot through tunes done a 100, 000 times and more by Monk lovers all over the world.
In the notes Sécula says: “On the tracklist, the listener will notice three tunes that are not by Monk, nor (to my knowledge) ever recorded by him: ‘All the Things You Are’ [ed. he did, see above – and there’s vibes plus crooning from Kenny Hagood to boot!], ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ [ed. where mysteriously you can hear uncredited brushes added in], and ‘What’s New’. These are the “obsessions” I brought in, due to a delay in the recording schedule. Jorge and I had different times available that day – I arrived at the studio in the morning, and he came at 3pm. During that time, I recorded these three takes. It felt crucial to me that they be included on the album, because they were simply part of what happened musically that day.
Sécula has been on FSNT before – listen to 2024’s Introducing Noé Sécula. That at its core was a quartet affair.
Like this new one it was recorded in Basel, a happy hunting ground for the Catalonia based FSNT in recent years.
Overall then a respectful album.
‘Trinkle Tinkle’ of the Monk material which like a lovely take on ‘What’s New’ and sometimes elsewhere has the faint rustle of uncredited brushes added in too comes over best to my taste. But I didn’t dislike anything here.
Perhaps Rossy could have soloed a bit more – that’s my only quibble and a fuller drum part using toms, snare and tramping bass drum would have been a very welcome additional element. Hey ho.
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