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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I must admit that before purchasing this album, I'd never heard much of Thelonius Monk's music, although I was vaguely aware that jazz musicians did revere him. Credited with a key role in the invention of bebop, this record sees him back at his best following a period in the doldrums.
Monk's group for this disc contained Sonny Rollins (a name with which I was much more familiar), but personnel changes were prevalent throughout the record, mainly because of the near impossibility of the title track. Jarring notes and tempo changes hit at what follows over the rest of the record, although the simplicity of piano only "I surrender dear," the only non-original on the record, suggests that Monk had a wonderful grasp and feel for many types of music. It proves that he was not a slave to the dizzying harmonics of bebop.
Not always an easy listen, but for anyone serious about jazz it is an essential recording. The extra track is an aborted attempt at "Pannonica" containg only the first chorus. The mastering throughout is excellent.
Monk's group for this disc contained Sonny Rollins (a name with which I was much more familiar), but personnel changes were prevalent throughout the record, mainly because of the near impossibility of the title track. Jarring notes and tempo changes hit at what follows over the rest of the record, although the simplicity of piano only "I surrender dear," the only non-original on the record, suggests that Monk had a wonderful grasp and feel for many types of music. It proves that he was not a slave to the dizzying harmonics of bebop.
Not always an easy listen, but for anyone serious about jazz it is an essential recording. The extra track is an aborted attempt at "Pannonica" containg only the first chorus. The mastering throughout is excellent.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Monk made a succession of albums for Riverside from 1955 to the beginning of the sixties and they are what established his reputation as one of the great figures of modern jazz. He had been around for years, but had always been regarded as an oddball, playing enormously difficult and usually unattractive music. When he signed for Riverside, Orrin Keepnews, the A'n R man for the label, set about organizing a number of dates featuring Monk in varied company. Almost all were successful, and Keepnews had triumphed in the almost impossible task of showcasing Monk in varied settings without ever compromising his integrity. The records form the pinnacle of the musical career of one of the jazz greats.
This is one of the best of them. Monk is accompanied by Ernie Henry on alto (replaced on 'Bemsha Swing' by Clark Terry), Sonny Rollins on tenor. Oscar Pettiford on bass and Max Roach on drums. All play well. Henry was a little known musician who had recorded with Dizzy Gillespie in 1948 and then disappeared from view until 1956 when he recorded a few times and then disappeared again. Had circumstances been different he could have been one of the greats. Here he solos in an angular, hard blown style that fits perfectly with Monk. Rollins had a slightly difficult relationship with Monk, at least in musical terms, often soloing in a fairly subdued manner, at other times battling with Monk for dominance. Here he plays at his best with Monk, forceful, inventive, and not allowing himself to be dominated. Pettiford plays superbly, precise and swinging throughout. Max Roach, not my favourite drummer plays well, never quiet but never taking the music over as he could tend to do. He solos on most tracks, but never at undue length. He plays tympani as well as his drums on 'Bemsha Swing' and is a bit overbearing but helps give the tune an effective lurching quality. Clark Terry, not the trumpeter you would expect, plays well on this track and sounds wholly at home.
Of the other tunes, 'Brilliant Corners' is difficult, with repeated changes in tempo, but wholly successful. 'Balue Bolivar' is a medium slow blues, 'Pannonica' a slow Monk mood piece where Monk occasionally ventures onto the celeste, and 'I Surrender, Dear' a piano solo. All work well.
This is among the most significant jazz since the war, and well repays investigation.
This is one of the best of them. Monk is accompanied by Ernie Henry on alto (replaced on 'Bemsha Swing' by Clark Terry), Sonny Rollins on tenor. Oscar Pettiford on bass and Max Roach on drums. All play well. Henry was a little known musician who had recorded with Dizzy Gillespie in 1948 and then disappeared from view until 1956 when he recorded a few times and then disappeared again. Had circumstances been different he could have been one of the greats. Here he solos in an angular, hard blown style that fits perfectly with Monk. Rollins had a slightly difficult relationship with Monk, at least in musical terms, often soloing in a fairly subdued manner, at other times battling with Monk for dominance. Here he plays at his best with Monk, forceful, inventive, and not allowing himself to be dominated. Pettiford plays superbly, precise and swinging throughout. Max Roach, not my favourite drummer plays well, never quiet but never taking the music over as he could tend to do. He solos on most tracks, but never at undue length. He plays tympani as well as his drums on 'Bemsha Swing' and is a bit overbearing but helps give the tune an effective lurching quality. Clark Terry, not the trumpeter you would expect, plays well on this track and sounds wholly at home.
Of the other tunes, 'Brilliant Corners' is difficult, with repeated changes in tempo, but wholly successful. 'Balue Bolivar' is a medium slow blues, 'Pannonica' a slow Monk mood piece where Monk occasionally ventures onto the celeste, and 'I Surrender, Dear' a piano solo. All work well.
This is among the most significant jazz since the war, and well repays investigation.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Genius
17 April 2010
Format:Audio CD
Monk isn't easy to "get". His melodies and chords I would describe as complicated. But, behind all the disharmony and 11ths and so forth.. it swings. This is my favorite Monk album. It's an amazing record and that's all you can say.
14 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Brilliant Monk
29 Mar 2008
Format:Audio CD
I do not need to add much to the reviews of the original album, it is a classic.
Legendary Producer Orrin Keepnews has been honored with a collection of Remastered CD's of the albums he has been associated with; complete with liner notes. Since I am a more recent fan of Monk, this remastering gives me a reason to buy this highly regarded cd for the first time. The high reviews do not disappoint... and my education of thelonius monk continues!
BTW - A second version of Pannonica is not a bad thing as far as im concerned. it is a great song!
Legendary Producer Orrin Keepnews has been honored with a collection of Remastered CD's of the albums he has been associated with; complete with liner notes. Since I am a more recent fan of Monk, this remastering gives me a reason to buy this highly regarded cd for the first time. The high reviews do not disappoint... and my education of thelonius monk continues!
BTW - A second version of Pannonica is not a bad thing as far as im concerned. it is a great song!
A dissenting view
12 May 2012
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
There seems to be some consensus that this is a classic, but I am unable to enjoy it. I absolutely love Monk's Dream and was looking for more. In contrast, this collection seems saxaphone-heavy, with Monk most often deep back. Monk's Dream seems carefully crafted whereas here I feel like I'm walking in on a club performance with a lot of one-off improvisation. And the tempo here is soporific, as if everyone's under-the-influence. There is not a lot of material on the recording, but more of the same would not help me. My search for a great second Monk recording continues...
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