"Let's Cool One" continues the serial release of HarmoniMonk Volume 13, featuring Bryan Hicks on vocals, bass, and guitar. Bryan is singing original lyrics performed antiphonally with the obscure harmonica quartet The Four FreeReed FreshMonks.
His voice combines the honeyed smoothness of singers such as King Pleasure, Mark Murphy, and Mel Tormé with subtle eruptions of the penetrating rasp characteristic of Charley Patton and Howlin' Wolf, and is inflected with high notes reminiscent of the eerie, keening moan of Skip James.
Poet Ellen Walterscheid and myself collaborated on the lyrics, which celebrate the end of a brutal August heat wave that we endured in our snug fourth-floor walkup.
The Four FreeReed FreshMonks have devoted the last 60 years to getting work performing their signature combination of their best guess at Four Freshman vocal harmonies with their idiosyncratic understanding and appreciation of Monk's music. Work has been scarce and recordings nonexistent. This is their first of hopefully many appearances in the HarmoniMonk series.
lyrics
Heat is breaking
Leaves shake to an
August evening breeze
Let's cool one now
It's what we want to do
Moon calls to a
Burning sun that's
Sinking way out west
Let's cool one now
Cool one now
Every day
Featherin' the nest
Night
Brings
No rest
Who's that shouting
"Back to work!" it
Rings around the bones
Let's cool one now
Cool one now
credits
released November 12, 2021
Bryan Hicks -- vocals, guitar, bass
Randy Weinstein, Ellen Walterscheid -- lyrics
Randy Weinstein -- lead harmonica
The Four FreeReed FreshMonks -- Harmoni-choir