Thelonious Monk Trio [Bonus Tracks]

by Thelonious Monk Trio, Thelonious Monk

Overview

Any Thelonious Monk album that kicks off with a seven-minute version of "Blue Monk" is worth listening to. Backed alternately by bassists Percy Heath and Gary Mapp and drummers Art Blakey and Max Roach, Monk unleashes his idiosyncratic piano lines against a spare backdrop. Beautifully rendered, the opening piece is a highlight of the album, oddly combining disharmonic riffs within a melodic and very memorable structure. It's followed, surprisingly, by a rather tepid version of "Just a Gigolo," more lounge than jazz in execution. The set picks up again, however, on "Bemsha Swing" and later with a noisy "Little Rootie Tootie," another fascinating study in dissonance with some great drum work by Blakey. Because the album was pieced together from three different sessions, it's often difficult to identify the supporting players on individual cuts. Nonetheless, the small settings used on all ten pieces feature intricate interplay between bass, drums, and piano. They allow the necessary space for Monk's explorations, which conjure up images of a mathematician working out geometric patterns on the keyboard. While mathematical music may sound a bit cold and soulless, pieces like "Monk's Dream" and "Trinkle, Tinkle" evoke a sublime beauty as they build order out of chaos. Intimate, intense, and inspired, Thelonious Monk Trio offers 35 minutes of professional musicians practicing their craft. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/20/2019
Label:	Imports
UPC:	8436569193709
Rank:	102831

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Thelonious Monk Trio   Primary Artist
Thelonious Monk   Primary Artist,Piano
Art Blakey   Guest Artist,Drums
Max Roach   Guest Artist,Drums
Percy Heath   Guest Artist,Bass
Gary Mapp   Bass

Technical Credits

Bob Weinstock   Producer,Supervisor
Ira Gitler   Liner Notes
Jack Strachey   Composer
Leonello Casucci   Composer
Joe Tarantino   Digital Remastering
Jules LeMare   Composer
Denzil Best   Composer
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Julius Brammer   Composer
Martin Williams   Liner Notes
Thelonious Monk   Composer
Gil Melle   Cover Design
Harry Link   Composer
Harry Tobias   Composer
Irving Caesar   Composer
Eric Maschwitz   Composer
Holt Marvell   Composer
Gus Arnheim   Composer
Gus Amheim   Composer