It definitely was a complete change to go to work with Kenny because I felt as though I had lost my own conception of playing with Mingus. His style has been likened to that of Sonny Rollins , and indeed he will tell you that after hearing Sonny play in 1949 he went home and threw out all his Stan Getz records. Monterose was also influenced by Charlie Parker and, to a lesser degree, John Coltrane , but he long ago left behind the concept of listening to absorb other concepts. Even as a youngster he understood that it was pointless to copy his illustrious contemporaries. Consequently Monterose solos were always his own.
Jazz is supposed to be self-expression.
If I can't be myself, there's no point in being in jazz. A selected discography of J.R. Monterose albums.