Sphere - [1982] Four in One.

CD Liner Notes BEN RILEY The Group Because Buster, Kenny and I had played together fairly regularly for years as a trio, we had developed musical rapport; we had an entire trio repertoire which included several Thelonious tunes. Then we had to figure out how to include Rouse, and we never had any time to really rehearse because we all had different schedules. So we took a job in a club on 72nd Street for a weekend, and we added Rouse. With the understanding that Rouse brought to the music and the feeling each of us put into the music that weekend, we knew this was it. When we were looking for a name for our co-op band, Kenny came up with the name Sphere. About Monk's Music All of us are very much interested in Monk's music, and so we decided this should be our first production. Our thinking is to try and bring more listeners and new listeners to the music of this great American composer. And we hoped that if we played the music well enough, maybe Thelonious would enjoy hearing it. Unfortunately "T" will not hear this musical honor to him. KENNY BARRON The Recording Session In early January of 1982, we decided that our first project would be to record an album of infrequently played Monk compositions. We then contacted Rudy Van Gelder's recording studio in New Jersey and were informed that we could record February 1 7, at 10 AM. We selected the compositions we wanted to record and rehearsed. On February 17, we arrived at Van Gelder's for the 10 AM session. We recorded six tunes, and at 3 in the afternoon we were on our way home. Buster rode with me back to New York City, and after dropping him off, I turned to the local jazz station and heard the tragic news of the death of Thelonious Monk. He had died at 8 that morning - just 2 hours before our session began. Had we known of his death before the recording session, I'm sure it would not have happened - at least not when it did. Our sole motivation in recording this collection of Monk compositions was the respect, love and admiration we all have for his music. We present the music on this album, not as a tribute or memorial, but quite simply as our thank you to a man who has given us so much and taught us so much. The Group During much of 1981, Buster, Ben, Charlie and I talked about the formation of a cooperative group. Things remained in the talking stage until early 1982 when we began to take some positive and concrete steps to make the group a reality. First, we incorporated as a legal, co-operative business entity; under our corporate umbrella are a publishing company and a recording company. We took these steps because we have learned through years of experience the necessity of having both business and artistic control of our product. http://vk.com/jazzulove

Sphere - [1982] Four in One. CD Liner Notes BUSTER WILLIAMS This record came out of the decision to create a band. We wanted to somehow pay some kind of respect to Thelonious Monk while he was living. It was ironic that he died while we were recording this album. Everything about this project was decided while Monk was alive. We wanted to record something that he would hear. That's why we did his tunes. When we had finished, we had not only a tribute, but a memorial as well. Out of all the albums that I have done - and, probably, out of all the albums each of us has done - this one was the smoothest, easiest, and most enjoyable to do. Rudy Van Gelder, whom we consider to be the best recording engineer for what we do, bar none, was very encouraged. When I called him and told him whot we wanted to do, he was very enthusiastic and gave us a lot. We have a great debt of gratitude and thanks to him. We're very happy and proud of this record. It's a shame Monk won't get to hear it, but, perhaps, music transcends life and death. CHARLIE ROUSE Any musician that worked with Thelonious Monk benefited from him because he had a unique ability to challenge a musician to play things that he thought he was not capable of playing. His compositions, if you really listen to them, are not the regular slow or medium or fast tempos. He usually set tempos in between. In order to play with him, you had to approach the tune another way. Ben and I know the concept that Thelonious wanted having been with him for so long. We have a sense of the rhythmic pattern. What we learned from him carries on to whatever context we might play in. His compositions are very, very personal. You have to state what he wants and then you can stand on what you feel about it. You have to play it the way he wants it played. That's how you get the essence out of the tune. His music is very strong. There are some compositions that musicians don't like to tackle because they require a lot of studying. His harmonic structure was different. His phrasing was different. I think he will be remembered as one of America's great master composers. And as an instrumentalist, he got a sound out of the piano that no one else can get. It was so commanding. The way you bring the people to the music is with the sound, not a cluster of notes. FOUR IN ONE (P) 1982 Elektra/Asylum Records for the U.S. and WEA International for the world outside the U.S. Produced by DAMU PRODUCTIONS, LTD. Recorded February 17, 1982 / Rudy Van Gelder Studio / Englewood Cliffs, N.J. BEN RILEY, Drums KENNY BARRON, Piano BUSTER WILLIAMS, Bass CHARLIE ROUSE, Tenor Saxophone Design NORM UNG AND DENISE MINOBE Cover Painting: Rene Magritte "The False Mirror" (1928) Oil on canvas, 21" x 31" (54x80.9 cm) (c) by ADAGR Paris 1982 Collection, The Museum of Modem Art, New York Purchase Special Thanks: GLYN CALLINGHAM AT RAY'S JAZZ SHOP Design by MENTAL BLOCK http://vk.com/jazzulove