Monk The Final Frontier Quintet
BIO
The Quintet formed in 2016 when Aisling approached saxophonist Tony Kofi with the idea of paying homage to one of modern jazz's greatest composers and musicians, Thelonious Monk.
A Monk aficionado, Tony recommended fellow Monk enthusiast, pianist Jon Gee and a powerful and musical band of seasoned and creative musicians was born featuring the talented Ben Hazleton on bass and the cream of the crop of Jazz drummers Washington D.C Native, Rod Youngs.
The repertoire is garnered primarily from the music featured on the iconic 1988 Carmen McRae album "Carmen sings Monk", with these rarely performed lyrical versions of classic Monk compositions demonstrating just how ahead of his time Monk was as a composer.
Aisling's pure toned and characterful vocals are the perfect foil for this wonderful material having already received rave reviews after their appearance at the Birmingham Jazz Festival, along with performances at the Crypt jazz club and the famous 606 jazz club in Chelsea.
"Irish singer Aisling Iris followed with a superb new collaboration with saxophonist Tony Kofi.... Iris’s voice was a revelation: her control over the whole range is immaculate, her expression powerful, and her feel for the essential elements of Monk’s music quite extraordinary. She is a natural, and she deserves wide recognition." thejazzbreakfast;
“passionate…superb…heartfelt” Guardian; “There is so much respect in jazz circles for Tony Kofi.” Jazzwise
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Monk Quintet at The Crypt
Monk - The final frontier Quintet Straight no chaser (Get straight)
Monk - The final frontier Quintet Straight no chaser (Get straight)
Monk - The final frontier Quintet "How I wish" (ask me now)
Monk - The final frontier Quintet Suddenly (in walked bud)
