Enrique “Mono” Villegas: Tributo a Monk – 1967

Around 1964, when he returned, Villegas was practically unknown in his home land, Argentina. Nine years had passed since his departure and a new generation of musicians had appeared. Some had not even heard of him. Others believed he was retired, enjoying a modest mithology. Very few knew of his past glories and his travels in USA, Germany and other european countries.

Fortunately Alfredo Radoszynski from Trova Records offered to him recording Enrique Villegas en Cuerpo y Alma  (in Body and Soul)(1965), first LP in his second – and definitive – homeland stage. Recorded in 1967, Tributo a Monk was the third of the Trova LPs; being the second Metamorfosis (1967). In the three of them “Mono” played with his friends, Eduardo Casalla at the drums and Jorge López Ruiz at the bass.

Tributo a Monk is difficult to find at the web and elsewhere; it was never reissued. Today I offer a high quality rip of my own LP. The title track is a medley of  ‘Round Midnight, Bemsha Swing and Blue Monk – which completed the vinyl’s side A. Side B included four fine personal (very Villegas!) standards versions.

Enrique Villegas: piano – Eduardo Casalla, drums – Jorge López Ruiz, bass
Recorded on January 5, 1967 at Estudios Ion, Buenos Aires

1 – Tributo a Monk: Bemsha Swing – Round ’bout Midnight – Blue Monk
2 – It’s Only a Papermoon
3 – Charmaine
4 – It Might as well be Spring
5 – Saint Thomas

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CD

song: charmaine