Thelonious Monk

 The Composer | 'Round Midnight |1998


There is really no one quite like Thelonious Monk in the whole history of jazz music. His compositional style, much like his odd, fractured and angular piano playing, was deceptively simple and repetitive, full of endlessly circular progressions that seemed to almost intersect themselves at whim, ending up more like auditory puzzle boxes than anything resembling a jazz standard. But at least two of Monk's compositions, "'Round Midnight" and "Straight No Chaser," are just that, modern jazz standards, and a similar case could be made for "Ruby, My Dear" and several other of Monk's pieces. This tight set spotlights Monk as composer and covers the pre-Columbia Records years 1947 to 1959 when he was recording for the Blue Note, Prestige and Riverside labels.
Review by Steve Leggett





01. 'Round Midnight 00:00
02. Off Minor 03:10
03. Mysterioso 06:10
04. Criss Cross 08:54
05. Hornin' In 11:51
06. Well, You Needn't 15:06
07. Ruby My Dear 18:02
08. Let's Cool One 21:12
09. Straight No Chaser 25:02
10. Ask Me Now 27:59
11. Thelonious 31:14
12. Evidence 34:14
13. Epistrophy 36:48
14. Monk's Dream 39:55
15. Little Rootie Tootie 43:01
16. Reflections 46:07
17. Blue Monk 48:54
18. Let's Call This 56:35
19. Bemsha Swing 61:42
20. Rhythm-A-Ning 64:53


Denzil Best:Composer
Art Blakey :Drums
Nelson Boyd:Bass
Kenny Clarke:Composer
Lou Donaldson:Sax (Alto)
Bernie Hanighen :Composer
Percy Heath :Bass
Milt Jackson :Vibraphone
Sam Jones :Bass
Willie Jones :Drums
Al McKibbon :Bass
Thelonious Monk :Composer, Piano, Primary Artist
Robert Paige :Bass
Gene Ramey :Bass
Max Roach :Drums
Sonny Rollins :Sax (Tenor)
Charlie Rouse :Sax (Tenor)
Sahib Shihab :Sax (Alto)
John Simmons :Bass
Billy Smith :Sax (Tenor)
Idrees Sulieman :Trumpet
George Taitt :Trumpet
Art Taylor:Drums
Lucky Thompson :Sax (Tenor)
Julius Watkins:French Horn
Danny Quebec West:Sax (Alto)
Cootie Williams :Composer
Shadow Wilson :Drums