For the past two years at the Baked Potato, drummer Charles Ruggiero has been giving a monthly tribute to the iconic pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, having his rotating band perform either material composed by the legendary artist, or associated with him. What is so wise about Ruggiero’s idea is that he rarely brings in a pianist, as in this time having guitarist Andrew Renfroe add the chordal work along with local sax hero Bob Reynolds and the always reliable Mike Gurrola to round out the rhythm section.
The feel and vibe of Monk was palpable from the get go, as Ruggiero opened things up with a crisp drum intro to a snappy “Epistrophy” that had Renfroe long boarding over the leader’s white caps of energy. Most intriguing was that as the song was slowly fading away, Ruggiero took over with just Reynold’s warm and breathy tenor, smooth as silk over the sublime groove and gradually segued into a nifty “Green Chimneys” that featured the leader in some mallet work that rumbled back and forth between one mallet with hand, and then two mallets creating a noir alley’d shadow.
The team galloped through a “Caravan” that had Gurrolla creating a rivulet with Ruggiero, humming with the drummer’s high hat with Reynolds gigging in. Ruggiero then showed the audience his own talents as a songwriter, as Reynolds shifted to soprano sax for a sweet and lovely “But Of Course”.
But the highlight of the evening was a bright and beautiful “Evidence” that had Renfroe bopping until he was dropping before Gurrolla and Ruggiero stampeded out a cadence to Reynolds. Taking his cue, Reynolds then held the song in suspension as he dramatically paused, as if he were either waiting for the inspired synapses to connect, or wait from inspiration from God above, and let out a sustained long toned glissando that was so gloriously behind the frenetic backbeat that it may have come from a different time zone before catching up to the team like a traveler leaping on a departing train.
The closing “Mysterioso” was also a gorgeous work of tension, with Ruggiero double timing on the tug of war with the rest of the team in patient restraint. The team wafted and bounced with the sublime balance of a tightrope walker before the 90 minute set ended with a celebrative crack.
“We respond to the language of ‘Yay’” Ruggiero joked between songs. After the energetic tribute to the bebop master, there was no need to translate the audience’s response.
Upcoming shows at The Baked Potato include Banned From Utopia 02/23-25,Virgil Donati 02/29-03/01, Dechter/Frank with Joe LaBarbera 03.04 and Danny Janklow 03/07