The genesis of Peter Kogan's Some Monsterful Wonderthing
was, of all things, the frustrating 2012 lockout of the Minnestota Orchestra.
This was Kogan's day gig, and although the timpanist had high hopes for a
reasonably quick settlement, he also took this golden opportunity to record his
first studio album as leader - Cornucopia - released in 2013. As the orchestra stalemate dragged into its
16th month, Kogan began thinking about a follow up disc which would utilize a
septet, some new tunes that reflected on the labor struggle he was involved in,
and the strong community support that the orchestra musicians received. Some musical ideas were completely new, and
others were fresh takes on older material from Kogan's New York City days. This
became Some Monsterful Wonderthing and was finished six months after the
orchestra lockout ended. The final mixes and mastering for the recording were
completed by the Grammy Award winning engineer Preston Smith.
SOS Sambadenotes "Save Our Symphony Minnesota,"
and is dedicated to the Minnesota community that was so supportive of the
players during the lockout. The track begins with a samba percussion motif
parading from a distance with Kogan playing an SOS Morse Code rhythm 3 times to
signal in the band. With the melody introduced by the piano, then flugelhorn,
there is a joyous percussion exchange heard between Rogerio Boccato and Kogan
to bring back the melody.
Track 2 is LOMoMO Mojo Jump. LOMoMO is the acronym for
"Locked Out Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra" and is dedicated to
Kogan's colleagues. A throwback to Duke Ellington's earliest recorded music
with the Cotton Club band, the track starts with a Jimmy Blanton tribute played
by bassist Brian Courage, beautifully restated by Scott Agster using a
plunger-fitted trombone. Kogan's temple
blocks are reminiscent of Ellington's long time drummer Sonny Greer. Each
soloist on this track plays a different groove to celebrate Ellington's broad range
of styles.
The title track - Some Monsterful Wonderthing - is a play on words referring to the Rogers
and Hammerstein song "Something
Wonderful" from The King and I. An exorcism and a savage tribute to that
tune in reverse, the track contains some searing solos by Cory Wong on guitar,
Pete Whitman on soprano sax and Sean Turner on piano.
Kogan wrote Nola Joe imagining what it might be like if Joe
Sample had been raised in New Orleans. The whole band gets to have their say on
this one.
Gospel Tune is just that. A sweet song that lets the
listener imagine their own "Good Book."
McKinley Morganfield's Forever is undoubtedly a tribute to
the great Muddy Waters featuring Cory Wong with
Scott Agster standing in for Muddy's voice. The tune's backbeat feel
eventually morphs into a bluesy shuffle.
Live to Learn and Love Another Day is a ballad beautifully
played by Charles Lazarus on flugelhorn.
Inspired by the guy in the little red wagon, Question Monk? appropriately challenges the
listener to find the beat amidst all the soloing in the tune's 6/4 time.
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