The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents

Musician's Corner: Tony Monaco

Air Date: 4/21/2024 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET

LISTEN TO THE SEGMENT HERE

If I were to comment about something you did by saying that you are 'pulling out all the stops,' you would certainly know what I mean. 

However, if I were to say that about Tony Monaco, it might just mean that he's got his Hammond B3 organ set up just the way he wants, to get just the right sound at just the right time.

Except, on the Hammond B3, the stops are called drawbars.

This is not a classic jazz instrument. Originally intended to replace large, unwieldy church organs with a cheaper and more portable alternative, the Hammond B3 was first used in gospel, soul, and R&B.

Then, along came a man who would become Tony Monaco's mentor: Jimmy Smith.


Jimmy Smith is generally considered to be the man who brought the B3 a place of respect in the jazz world, treating the instrument as a regular part of a jazz combo rather than as a novelty, as it was often used in jazz up until that time. 

The B3 sound is interesting and intense, especially when coupled with an attached, rotating Leslie speaker. The capabilities of the instrument have always been tempting to any keyboardist wanting to do more with all their limbs. For example, as with any keyboardist, the organist will generally play melody with the right hand and will comp with the left. In addition, however, the organist will play bass lines with his left foot, and can control the volume with his right foot. And don't forget about those drawbars!


So what do we have with Tony Monaco's new CD, Over and Over? Nothing short of a smokin, swingin, groovin set of funky bluesy jazz. Every track on this CD is a keeper.  
 
 Tune in at 11:00 am ET 

to hear this edition of Musician's Corner.

Get ready for an exciting talk about two of the songs on the CD. One of them is a contrafact - a song that takes the chords of another song, but layers a new melody on top of that. You'll hear how Mr. Monaco took a well-known bluesy jazz number and turned it into another song. 

Listen carefully to see if you can recognize the original chords. It is not easy to do once these chords have been transformed by new rhythms and a different melody. 

Fittingly, the talk will take place during Groove Hour on the Sunday Jazz Brunch, starting at 11 AM ET. Be sure to tune in.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

Flowers are slowly starting to bloom here in Central Massachusetts. Enjoy your spring!

Marty

 

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

Allen Dennard p\Flashback 2024\Octavia
Melissa Aldana\Echoes of the Inner Prophet 2024\Cone of Silence for James Farber
Edy Forey\Culture Today 2024\Nature Boy
Brian Scarborough\We Need the Wind 2024\The Long Road Back

Andy Ezrin\I Was Here 2024\Never Enough
Kandace Springs\Run Your Race 2024\My Poor Heart
John Basile\Heatin' Up 2024\See Saw
Cyrille Aimée\A Fleur de Peau 2024\Feel What I Feel
Ken Peplowski\Unheard Bird 2024\I Cover the Waterfront

Altin Sencalar\Discover the Present 2024\The Sunday After
Abena Koomson-Davis\Where is Love 2024\Just the Two of Us
Blue Moods\Swing & Soul 2024\Gaslight
Robert Edwards\Upswing 2024\My Way

HOUR TWO: New For You

Andy Ezrin\I Was Here 2024\Lost Days
Danette McMahon\No More Excuses 2024 - 09 My Pity Party - Mike Clement\Hittin' It 2024\That's It
Edy Forey\Culture Today 2024\Agape

Kandace Springs\Run Your Race 2024\Precious Love
Seulah Noh Jazz Orchestra\NOhMAD 2024\Heartsong
Brian Bromberg\LaFaro 2024\What is This Thing Called Love
Jacqui Naylor-Treasures of the Heart 2024-04 Happy Adventure

John Basile\Heatin' Up 2024\Girl Talk
Tony Monaco-Over and Over 2024-06 Sailboat
Lizz Wright\Shadow 2024\Who Knows Where the Time Goes

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World

Mafalda Minnozzi\Natural Impression 2023\Bruma
Antonio Adolfo-Bossa 65 2023-07 Marcha Da Quarta Feira De Cinzas (Ash Wednesday March)
Antonio Carlos Jobim-Composer of Desafinado Plays 1997-04 Dreamer
Roberto Menescal-Nos Eo Mar 2023-03 Voce

Altin Sencalar\Discover the Present 2024\Pocket of Clave
Yosef Gutman with Lionel Louke\Soulsong 2024\Hashkama
Cyrille Aimée\A Fleur de Peau 2024\08 Ma Préférence
Hendrik Meurkens-Sambahia-08 Bay Area Samba 1990

Hélio Alves-It's Clear-10 The Dolphin-2009
Gregg Karukas\Serenata 2021\Better Days
Graciliano Zambonin\Angico\08 Frevo Brasil Grande (Frevo Big Brazil)
Gillian Margot-Black Butterfly-04 Delirio 2015

HOUR FOUR: Groove, Baby

Mike LeDonne-It's All Your Fault 2021-05 Party Time
Jacqui Naylor-Q&A-05 This Is How It Starts 2017
Musician's Corner: Tony Monaco-Over and Over 2024-01 Da Daddy

Musician's Corner: Tony Monaco-Over and Over 2024-04 Over and Over (I Want You)
Norman Brown-Let It Go-07 Holding You 2017

Incognito-Into You 2023-06 The Lowrider
Huey Lewis-Soulsville-13 Never Like This Before 2010
Jacob Collier\In My Room\Flintstones
Jeff Lorber-Step it Up-03 Mustang 2015 

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