Blue Note To Re-Release Grachan Moncur III’s ‘Some Other Stuff’

Grachan Moncur III’s 1964 avant-garde classic Some Other Stuff is set to be reissued on vinyl courtesy of Blue Note’s Tone Poet reissue series. The project will be released on May 2.

Following his excellent 1963 debut Evolution, trombonist Grachan Moncur III ventured even deeper into experimental waters on 1964’s Some Other Stuff, a boldly avant-garde album featuring Moncur with an all-star cohort of fellow explorers including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Cecil McBee, and Tony Williams.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Scott Yanow wrote in his AllMusic review of the album: “Grachan Moncur III was one of the top trombonists of the jazz avant-garde in the 1960s although he had only a few chances to lead his own record sessions. This 1964 set was one of his finest, a quintet outing with bassist Cecil McBee, two of the members of the Miles Davis Quintet (pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Tony Williams), and tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter just a brief time before he joined Miles. The group performs four of Moncur’s challenging originals, including ‘Nomadic’ (which is largely a drum solo) and “The Twins,” which is built off of one chord.”

The son of bassist Grachan Moncur II, who played with the Savoy Sultans, Grachan III began playing the trombone when he was just 11 years old. His resume is extensive, having toured with Ray Charles, among others. In 1963, he played with Jackie McLean. Moncur also toured with Sonny Rollins and played and recorded with Marion Brown, Joe Henderson, and Archie Shepp. He also was part of the band 360 Degree.

Order Blue Note’s Tone Poet vinyl reissue of Grachan Moncur III’s Some Other Stuff now.