J. R. Monterose (album)

J. R. Monterose is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist J. R. Monterose, recorded on October 21, 1956 and released on Blue Note the following year. The quintet features trumpeter Ira Sullivan and rhythm section Horace Silver, Wilbur Ware and Philly Joe Jones.^[1]

J. R. Monterose
Studio album by J. R. Monterose
Released	1957
Recorded	October 21, 1956
Studio	Rudy Van Gelder Studio Hackensack, NJ
Genre	Jazz
Label	Blue Note BLP 1536
Producer	Alfred Lion
J. R. Monterose chronology
J. R. Monterose (1957) The Message (1959)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[3]

The AllMusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine stating, "J. R. Monterose's first session as a leader was a thoroughly enjoyable set of swinging, straight-ahead bop that revealed him as a saxophonist with a knack for powerful, robust leads in the vein of Sonny Rollins and Coleman Hawkins.... In fact, the quality of the music is so strong, J. R. Monterose qualifies as one of the underappreciated gems in Blue Note's mid-'50s catalog."^[2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by J. R. Monterose, except as noted.

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Wee-Jay"		6:56
2.	"The Third"	Donald Byrd	5:15
3.	"Bobbie Pin"		8:03

All tracks are written by J. R. Monterose, except as noted.

Side 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Marc V"		6:30
2.	"Ka-Link"	Philly Joe Jones	9:01
3.	"Beauteous"	Paul Chambers	5:24

CD reissue bonus track

No.	Title	Length
7.	"Wee-Jay" (alternate take)	7:17

Personnel

Musicians

• J. R. Monterose – tenor saxophone
• Ira Sullivan – trumpet
• Horace Silver – piano
• Wilbur Ware – bass
• Philly Joe Jones – drums

Technical personnel

• Alfred Lion – producer
• Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer
• Reid Miles – design
• Francis Wolff – photography
• Leonard Feather – liner notes