III. Jason Moran & Tyshawn Sorey play Monk: My expectations were incredibly high for this meeting of two MacArthur genius awards. They were overwhelmed like Outer Banks dunes in a northeaster. The storm metaphor is deserved. We were spun madly in place for a solid hour of play from one Monk tune to another, melding avant-garde improve & "straight-ahead" playing that wasn't in a straight line. "Wow" was the most spoken word in its wake.
IV. Five pianists--Ethan I, Orrin Evans, Ernest Turner, Christ Pattishall, Jeb Patton--play 1/2 of Monk's compositions: Solo, duo, solo, duo, solo, duo, solo, duo, solo, duo--step by step with some magnificent playing they played unique versions of Monk from the most familiar & to least played. Drip, drip, drip, the music accumulated to a whole that matched Moran & Sorey.
V. Gerald Clayton & Ben Wendel: They were only very, very good, as unique as the rest, living up to Aaron Greewald's promise of "Monk as you've never heard him." That was a mantra for everything I heard.
VI. The five pianists finish the job: More of the same, the "same" being something I'll never hear again.
P.S. If you want details of everything "Monk @ 100" go to ethaniverson.com, where his DO THE M@TH blogs tells you about all that's gone down, including sets lists, comments on the high quality local musicians at the jam sessions, & pix of all involved.