Blue Monk (Lincoln)

'Blue Monk' is an instrumental jazz standard written by pianist Thelonious Monk, that has become one of his most enduring tunes. First recorded by him on September 22, 1954 for release on Prestige.

Lyrics were added later by Abbey LINCOLN:

Going alone, life is your own, but the cost sometimes is dear
Being complete, knowing defeat, keeping on from year to year
It takes some doing, Monkery's the blues you hear, keepin' on from year to year

Life is a school, 'less you're a fool, but the learning brings you pain
Knowing at once, you're just a dunce, trial and error, loss and gain
It takes some doing, Monkery's a slow, slow train, trial and error, loss and gain

Finding your one place in the sun, doesn't come the easy way
Shallow or deep, nothing is cheap, measured by the dues you pay
It takes some doing, Monkery's a blue highway, measured by the dues you pay


Recordings exist by Abbey Lincoln (1961), Jeanne Lee w/ Ran Blake, Karin Krog & Dexter Gordon, Nannie Pores, Christine Correa w/ Ran Blake, Roseanna Vitro & Kevin Mahogany, Karrin Allyson, Roberta Donnay, Deborah Latz, etc.

Hi-Fly (Hendricks)

'Hi-Fly' is an instrumental jazz composition written by pianist Randy Weston inspired by his experience of being 6 feet 8 inches tall, "and how the ground looks different to you than everybody else". Since first being recorded in July 1958 on 'New Faces at Newport,' the song appears on several other albums by Weston.

Lyrics were added later by Jon HENDRICKS:

Old ways seem to have passed them by
These days, life is in Hi-Fly

People walking 'round, livin' in a daze
High above the ground, with their snooty/crazy ways
Put the people down, acting phoney while they fly high

[All around the town, actin' silly while they fly high]

[High falutin' crowds with their foreign cars 

Livin' in the clouds, shootin' for the stars

They can never see, life the way it oughta be]

In their fancy clothes, with their corny jokes

Looking down their nose, at the common folks
They can never see, life the way it ought to be

Old ways seem to have passed them by
These days, life is in Hi-Fly

Everybody's hip, every kind of sound 

Comes from every lip, everybody's down 

'bout too really flip, acting phoney/dippy while they fly high

[while they try livin' in Hi-Fly]

Recordings exist by Lambert-Hendricks-Ross (1961), Mel Tormé, Karin Krog/Archie Shepp, Ben Sidran, Soesja Citroen, Jenny Evans, Abbey Lincoln, Dena DeRose, Deborah Latz, etc.

Social Call (Hendricks)

'Social Call' is an instrumental jazz composition written by Gigi Gryce and first recorded on May 26, 1955 by Art Farmer Quintet featuring Gryce on alto sax to be released on Prestige.

Lyrics were added slightly later by Jon HENDRICKS:

Happened to pass your doorway, gave you a buzz, that's all
Lately I thought lots about you, so I thought I'd pay a social call

Do you recall the old days, we used to have a ball
Not that I'm lonesome without you, I just thought I'd pay a social call

I'd lie and say things are just swell
But to tell the truth, I haven't been too well

If you should try to kiss me, I promise I won't stall
Maybe we'll get back together, starting from this
Incidental, elemental, simple social call


Recordings exist by Gigi Gryce Orchestra ft Ernestine Anderson (1955), Earl Coleman, Jon Hendricks, Betty Carter, Karrin Allyson, Sherri Roberts, Rebecca Kilgore, Agneta Engström, Sid Eden, Mitzi Zilka, Leora Cashe, Dianne Reeves, Elena Welch, Monica Borrfors, Cécile McLoren Salvant, Marianne Solivan, Oksana Ferenchuk, Anna Lauvergnac, Jerry Costanzo, Champian Fulton, Rosswell Rudd & Heather Masse, etc.