Harlem Stories

On his eighth release as a leader, Avery delivers a ten-track collection with the support oftwo different quartets; the bandleader is joined by pianists Anthony Wonsey and DDJackson, bassist Corcoran Holt, drummers Willie Jones III (President of WJ3 Records)and Marvin "Bugalu" Smith and percussionist Allakoi Peete. Harlem Stories: The Music of Thelonious Monk is less a "tribute" to Monk than a deep study of the music -the saxophonist has a proclivity for swimming against the current, for digging deep intomusical traditions and excavating raw diamonds rather than shiny objects.