January 21–28, 1999

icepack

by a.d. amorosi

For one year, Philly vibraphonist Tony Macelli has been proudly watching his child grow. Macelli is the father of the rotating Thelonious Monk Rehearsal Band, which plays at Silk City every Sunday night. In that time the band's following has grown considerably and is playing a crowd of young uncles of all colors and ages.

Early in his career, Macelli, 38, never liked Thelonious Monk's unwieldy compositions full of pathos, frenzy and melancholia. But when Macelli played with saxophonist Dave Liebman three years ago, he got turned on to Thelonious' eccentricities and clusters of sound.

"Monk's a music, not a style," says Macelli. But when Tony and buddy/ pianist Tom Laughton went to play tunes like "Bemsha Swing" they realized that to play Monk is to play music like nothing else. The T. Monk Rehearsal Band was born with a nucleus of Laughton, sax guy Chris Farr, bassists Mike Authton and Micah Jones (who played on Fractals—the new album by the Monk-inspired Doylestown saxophonist Ben Schaechter and trumpeter John Swanna).

"It's not a gig. It's a rehearsal," laughs Macelli about the free weekly show. Unlike paying gigs at other local jazz boîtes, the band doesn't have to play silly requests such as "Happy Birthday" or "Take The A Train."

Artistic compromise is not something Macelli accepts readily: "I'm sick and tired of 'Stella By Starlight.'"

But at Silk City—the home of free-flying acid jazz night Groove Lounge—the play's the thing. "This is probably the only club where we can just do our thing, study the music of Monk and hang out with it."

The "rehearsals" are clearly dictated by the evening's choice of drummer. If you get Jim Miller, the rehearsal band approaches Monk with a reverence best heard in straight jazz, with the melodies bouncing off the harmonies. When Butch Reed hits the skins, the night turns into an acid approximation of Monk, more funky than sweet and coolly applicable to younger crowds. Each new piece of the puzzle, be it a new player or audience, adds a different dimension. Macelli's motto: "Monk wrote 67 tunes in a 10-year period. We're gonna stay at Silk City 'til we learn 'em all."

…No obsessive mixologist can pass over an old-fashioned record mart, the ultimate Easter egg hunt for rare grooves that'll challenge any audience. It can be some old Latin shit like Os Mutantes, analog synth oddities, scratchy Sonny Stitt playing cold chunks of blues or King Pleasure's post-bop passions—the rarer the funk, the juicier the taste. Having hunted rare and imported vinyl myself, I can attest to the thrill of the chase. On Sunday, Jan. 24, Ari Saxe (DJ Train, the Prince of Wax at Footworks, to you) and Footwork's Big Rich Medina are sponsoring The Philly Collectors Jazz, Soul & Dance Record Show from 10 a.m. (too early for DJs) to 4 p.m. at Space (953 N. Front St., 215-629-3933). With a zillion square feet of records and enough vendors from all over the East Coast to choke a horse, this gathering of spinners and sellers should be a vinylrific dream. (And here's a question: Is it true that Space, or at least an outside promoter working for Space, is booking oddball rock, hardcore and blues shows there? Have they stolen Upstairs at Nick's upcoming R.L. Burnside show?)… Just out on the Prestige/Fantasy label, as part of their now 20-CD output and mounting series of acid jazz legends, is a compilation CD of the very finest of Hammond B-3 organ mistress Trudy Pitts. With blues guitarist Pat Martino (pre-mustache!), these cuts from two 1967 sessions, feature Pitts playing funky organ lounge tunes with hubbie and drummer Bill Carney. Whether you hook on to good original grooves like "Organology" and "Fiddlin'" or odd lounge covers like "Matchmaker Matchmaker," this collection is truly the Pitts! PLUS: Fans of Philly jazz soul, be on the lookout for two upcoming 32 Records releases: Pat Martino's mellow groove First Light and the wine bar/electric piano funk of Catalyst's The Funkiest Band You've Never Heard. Truer words never spoken… Want to drink and eat atop a slave girl, have dinner in the dog cage, drink a Schnapps while being slapped? Then you'll dig Kali Morgan's next installment of Cafe Kink on Sat., Jan. 23, at Ulana's—her bondage, leather and lingerie shop's night on the town. Big Mess diva Lee Charleston and other Razler records acts like Dead Milkman Joe Genaro's freaky deaky Butterfly Joe will take over Fergie's Pub for two weekends, Jan 23 and 30. Breaking ground now: Steve Starr's Stanley Hardware French-Moroccan adventure… Oh and happy birthday to fucking anti-folk monster Adam Brodsky, who'll be whooping it up on the cheap at Bob 'n' Barbara's on Tue., Jan 26. Get him the Blue Ribbon special!

Got some good gossip or nightlife news? Call the Icepack tipline: 215-735-8444, ext. ICE.