The Steel Guitar Forum

A few years back I got to be a part of an all-Thelonious Monk concert in Burlington, VT. with NRBQ founding member Terry Adams and a great band. The album made from these performances is called "Talkin' Thelonious" by Terry Adams. On this song, "Monk's Mood, I played chromatic harmonica and pedal steel. The instrument I used was a Carter D-10 graciously loaned to me by Kevin Maul, who you know from this Forum. The steel happens a few minutes into this clip. I hope you enjoy it!

https://youtu.be/8aGodPD5PF8

Never should have sold that Carter! Since I’m a huge fan of both Monk and Terry I considered it an honor to contribute any way that I could to that project. I sure can’t play the mouth organ or steel the way you do! It sounds great.

very nice double duty there, Jim. the steel sounds gorgeous.

Monk's Mood was one of the first Monk tunes I ever worked out on steel, along with Ruby My Dear. I'm up to about 50 now and finally started tabbing some out this month.

Nice, I particularly liked the harmonica on that tune. Great timbre for the melody. I saw Hendrik Meurkens play in the village in manhattan front row. He was fantastic. nothing better than jazz harmonica.

Really awesome Jim, reminds me alot of Jaco and Toots!

Thanks Kevin - hope you're doing well, homeboy. Got any recordings, Scott? I'd love to hear your Ruby My Dear. Sorry to keep amping the "Talk Thelonious" album, but there's a version of "Ruby" on there arranged by NRBQ Whole Wheat Horn sax man Keith Spring, done in six-eight, that's a lot like "Summer Place" that you really should hear. I play flutes and harmonica and an alto sax solo on it. Hey Bill - that's so cool that you heard Henrick live - he's amazing.

found it Jim, very cool: https://youtu.be/qeOyPpz10Aw

I've had a version of Ruby up on youtube for 10 years but it sounds like garbage and I barely had the tune figured out.
I've finally got a decent home recording set-up and I'm planning to lay a bunch of heads down if nothing else, get them all tabbed and maybe do a little series like this guy did... one of my favorites: https://youtu.be/CYz3ndMfYRU

Beautiful. Listened a couple times this afternoon.
Makes me want to get my harp playing a little more organized. 😅 Great sound on the chromatic and of course killer sounds on the steel. Enjoyed that Ruby link as well. Very cool.

Love it!

Love this, Jim! Beautiful playing on both instruments. I wonder how many pedal steel players double on chromatic harmonica... apparently not as few as I had imagined .

- Slim

There was a guy here in Nashville who played both, but I think he played non-pedal. Can't remember his name...he played with Slim Whitman. Anybody know who I'm talking about?