Friday (Alma Universal)
Monkey House
Released July 26, 2019
Juno Award Nominee Vocal Jazz Album of the Year 2020
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lL1yd6hSSGQxgBmiLmMnxgF_7-jvA-7VE
Spotify:
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About:
Sophisticated musicianship, imaginative lyrics, and a flair for melody are signatures of the sound of Monkey House, a sound that has earned the group serious critical acclaim, peer respect, and a steadily expanding international following. Those characteristics are again evident on Friday, the fifth full-length release from the L.A./Toronto combo that just celebrated the notable milestone of 25 years of playing together. l That rare longevity has resulted in an invaluable empathy in the musical interactions among the core members: singer/songwriter/keyboardist Don Breithaupt, drummer Mark Kelso, bassist Pat Kilbride, and guitarist Justin Abedin. Monkey House founder Breithaupt explains: “Because I’ve been working with Justin, Pat and Mark for so long, I have a good feel for what they do well. I can play to their strengths. I can take a Polaroid of something in my studio and have a pretty good idea of how it’ll pan out when the band sinks its teeth into it.” l Also contributing prominently to Friday is the elite Toronto horn section of William Sperandei, Vern Dorge, John Johnson, William Carn and Tony Carlucci, as well as percussionist Art Avalos. Adding to the comfort level in the studio for the recording of Friday was the return of the team of coproducer Peter Cardinali and engineer John ‘Beetle’ Bailey, reprising their roles from previous Monkey House records. Cardinali also plays bass on four tracks. l All but two of the Friday’s tracks are solo Breithaupt compositions. He co-wrote “Say It For The Last Time” with Chris Smith (ex-Regatta) and Guido Luciani, while “Book Of Liars” is a cover of a 1994 song by Steely Dan’s Walter Becker. “As a lifelong Steely Dan fan, Walter’s death hit me hard,” says Don. “I thought it’d be a nice gesture to do one of his.” l Breithaupt is a prolific songwriter who collaborates regularly with such acclaimed songsmiths as Marc Jordan, Jay Graydon, and his NYC-based brother Jeff Breithaupt. He explains that the stress on solo compositions on Friday “had to do with getting songs that felt like they belonged together. When they’re coming from multiple sources, it’s hard to make them feel cohesive.” l Breithaupt says Friday is “an album that may be more rhythmically-based than any of our previous ones. For the last album [2016’s Left], I made a concerted effort to write each song at the piano. With this one, I was often looping rhythms and playing along with grooves, even on the first day of writing. When you have a rhythm going, it gives everything momentum.” l “Also, a couple of songs show more of an ’80s influence from bands like The Police and XTC. It still sounds like Monkey House, but it’s fun to stir in a couple of extra ingredients each time and see how they mix in. If you’re thinking of Friday on a compass, it has moved a few degrees towards R&B, soul and blues as opposed to some songs on earlier albums that were more poppy or Beatles-derived.” l As has become the norm on Monkey House records, Friday features some notable guests. Guitarist Drew Zingg (Boz Scaggs) and trumpeter Michael Leonhart (Steely Dan) have guested on previous albums, and make tasteful contributions here, as does Snarky Puppy guitarist Mark Lettieri. Ground Up artist Lucy Woodward (Rod Stewart) adds background vocals throughout, while Grammy-winning vocal quartet The Manhattan Transfer add their magic to the choruses of “The Jazz Life. “I’m proud to say The Manhattan Transfer have been big fans of Monkey House for a while,” says Breithaupt. “Their presence is a major vote of confidence for me, as I’ve loved their stuff since the seventies. It’s hard to mistake the sound of those four incredible voices together.” l One song sure to provoke discussion is “10,000 Hours,” described by Breithaupt as “a gentle spoof” of Malcolm Gladwell’s famed maxim. “You have to do the right stuff, not just put in the time,” he stresses. The tune features both funk and Latin sections, with Lettieri soloing in both styles. l Breithaupt notes, “I have a tradition of having at least one poppy, quirky, outlier track on an album. This time, it’s ‘Shotgun,’ which is designed to be pure fun and stick in people’s heads.” It’s a tune as warm and breezy as a Malibu drive in a vintage convertible. Equally catchy is “I’ll Drive, You Chill,” an engaging tale of a woman leaving her “pet-friendly pharmacy” life plan behind as she takes to the road in search of adventure with a total stranger. The song vividly showcases Breithaupt’s skill in creating intriguing characters and narratives. l As for the album’s title, Breithaupt explains, “As I was looking for a thread in the new material, I noticed the word Friday coming up in the lyrics. I thought, This is our fifth album, and Friday is the fifth day of the week. That’s a nice tie-in. Plus, I was born on a Friday, and Friday is the ‘go out and enjoy’ night of the week. I’m happy with that as an overall attitude.” l The everincreasing audience for Monkey House music is gratifying for Breithaupt. “It means I have the luxury of putting the band at the top of my work pile, where it belongs,” he stresses. “I can put in the time and really try to have every record outdo the last one.” Monkey House has done exactly that with Friday, an album that rewards listening every day of the week.
Track Listing:
1. 10,000 Hours (Don Breithaupt) 03:38
2. Nine O’Clock Friday (Don Breithaupt) 05:45
3. Shotgun (Don Breithaupt) 03:58
4. Welcome to the Rest of the World (Don Breithaupt) 05:05
5. Book of Liars (Walter Becker) 04:28
6. The Jazz Life (Don Breithaupt) 05:33
7. I’ll Drive, You Chill (Don Breithaupt) 05:50
8. Say It for the Last Time (Don Breithaupt / Guido Luciani / Chris Smith) 04:06
9. When the Mud Men Come (Don Breithaupt) 05:25
10. Because You (Don Breithaupt) 04:20
11. Brainyard (Don Breithaupt) 03:44
12. Island Off the Coast of America (Don Breithaupt) 04:45
Personnel:
Don Breithaupt: piano, organ, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, vocals
Pat Kilbride: bass, fretless bass
Justin Abedin: guitars
Mark Kelso: drums, percussion
Art Avalos: percussion
Vern Dorge: alto saxophone
John Johnson: tenor saxophone
William Carn: trombone
Tony Carlucci: trumpet
William Sperandei: trumpet
Peter Cardinali: bass (3, 4, 9, 10)
Lucy Woodward: backing vocals
Manhattan Transfer: backing vocals (6)
Recorded at Candyland Studio, New York; EPI Studios, Toronto; Genesis Sound, Toronto; Hyde Street Studios, San Francisco; Love Studio, Montreal; Noble Street Studios, Toronto; Revolution Recording, Toronto; Rouge Valley Studio, Toronto; Studio Lettíerí, Fort Worth; The Drive Shed, New Hamburg; Tubby Tunes Music, Los Angeles; Union Sound, Toronto
Produced by Peter Cardinali + Don Breithaupt
Recorded and Mixed by John “Beetle” Bailey
Additional Recording by François D’Amours, Gary Lux, Mark Lettieri, Michael Leonhart, Taylor Kernohan, Will Chason
Assisted by Alex Crotz, Darren McGill, Jeremy Trite, Luke Schindler, Matt Snell
Mastered by Peter Letros
Cover Photography by Pete Turner
Graphic Design: Don Breithaupt
Review:
I’ve had Monkey House’s new record Friday for weeks but have put off reviewing the album, even as it rose to No. 1 on the jazz charts. Part of my hesitancy was I doubted Don Breithaupt and his brainy bunch of band mates could live up to the impossibly high standards set by their 2016 release Left. It’s no coincidence that Left made my Top 10 list for 2016. Breithaupt is a brilliant writer with a keen melodic sense which never is cliche, yet is highly accessible.
“10,000 Hours” starts off with a conventional jazz-rock vibe that didn’t immediately draw me in. Yet by the time the horns appear and Breithaupt’s voice comes on scene, I was drawn deep into the rabbit hole. The Monkey House rhythm section kicks it hard and guest guitarist Michael Lettieri of Snarky Puppy continues the vibe. The concluding rave up is worth the price of admission alone.
“Nine O’Clock Friday” touches on Steely Dan and Bob Dylan with its lyrics. Breithaupt delivers a straight-forward and deceptively simple narrative. Mid-song changes keep things interesting on this mid-tempo ditty, and then guest guitarist Drew Zingg from the Steely Dan touring band hammers home the theme. Organ, piano and the horns harken back to the heyday of ’70s-era jazz-rock.
“Shotgun,” the second single from the album, features Peter Cardinali on bass. The song runs along at a jaunty clip. The horns and keyboard create vision of a fast-paced California coastal ride with you and that special someone. Lyrically, “Shotgun” isn’t coy about the passengers’ intent. All in all its a fun R&B-laced trip.
“Book of Lairs” the album’s advance song, is so good that it brings a tear to my eye. When I most recently interviewed Don Breithaupt, he talked about his motivation for including the song. This version is pure audio joy, capped off by solos from tenor trumpeter Francois D’Amou and Breithaupt on piano.
“The Jazz Life” is not as successful. The groove works just fine and the harmonies provided by the Manhattan Transfer are superb, as expected. But lyrically and musically, the song lacks a smokey vibe warranted by the subject matter. Even the tasty bass solo seems to be an afterthought.
On the other hand, Monkey House’s “When the Mud Man Comes” has the harmonic richness of a Michael McDonald-era Doobie Brothers song, and the lyric twists of Donald Fagen’s best material. Bassist/coproducer Pat Cardinali’s fretless work is only rivaled by Justin Abedin’s powerfully melodic guitar. Don Breithaupt’s piano solo is too little of good thing, leaving the listener wanting more.
“Island Off the Coast of America” is a moderately passed shuffle with lush horns and siren-like backing vocals by Lucy Woodward. Long-term Steely Dan sideman Michael Leonhart delivers a touch of New York City with his muted trumpet solo.
Friday takes the listener on a fabulously vibrant musical journey, again pushing Monkey House to new musical heights. What more can we ask? How about a tour stop nearby?
Preston Frazier (Something Else!)
