Clark Terry (with Thelonious Monk) - 'In Orbit'

Clark Terry’s legendary jazz career spanned over seven decades, during which he played on an unbelievable nine-hundred-plus recordings.  His discography reads like a who’s who In Jazz.  It features legendary artists such as Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington, Ben Webster, Aretha Franklin, Charlie Barnet, Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, Billy Strayhorn, Dexter Gordon, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, Gerry Mulligan, Sarah Vaughan, Coleman Hawkins, Milt Jackson, and Bob Brookmeyer. The list goes on and on.

Clark Terry first appeared on Monk's radar somewhere back in 1956.  In December of that year, Monk, after a falling out with the alto player Ernie Henry, hired Terry to replace Henry on the version of "Bemsha Swing" found on the masterwork 'Brilliant Corners'.  From there, Monk and Terry occasionally worked together, but this was the one full record that they made.

'In Orbit' is an impressive and frequently overlooked album, it marks Terry's debut on flugelhorn and is Monk's only sideman credit for Riverside (the label that propelled him to jazz stardom).

Monk fans will want this for the rediscovery of the track "Let's Cool One", the sole Monk composition on the album.  This fact alone distinguishes this, as after the early fifties, Monk usually only appeared on the side if recording his compositions.  That says something about his respect for Terry, and he gifts this record with a great, up to that point somewhat lost song, one that quickly became a standard in his live sets.

Clark Terry fans will note the presence of the title track, which jump starts the album in fine fashion, as well as the curious, foreboding closer "Very Near Blue" and intricate "Moonlight Fiesta".  My favorite is the second track, "One Foot in the Gutter", which features some unusual changes, especially in the bridge near the end.  Throughout, the interesting sound of the flugelhorn proves the right horn sound for Monk, who rarely played with trumpets.  The deeper tone matches well with his unique comping, and shows that, had Monk liked the flugelhorn quartet as much as the tenor sax one, he could have started something new here.  Ultimately, that's not the direction he went in, and this becomes a fascinating side road on a long journey, one that is well worth exploring.

'In Orbit' was Recorded in New York; May 7 and 12, 1958
Clark Terry – Flugelhorn
Thelonious Monk – Piano
Sam Jones – Bass
Philly Joe Jones – Drums

Yesterday, I watched the Peter O'Toole film,  'My Favorite Year'.  For the freeload, what was your favorite year?