Thelonious Monk Monk. CD

As was often the case during the early days of jazz recordings, these six selections (seven, if you count the two attempts at "Think of One") were released under a myriad of names, among them WE SEE, THE GOLDEN MONK, and simply MONK--with the assembled musicians credited as the Thelonious Monk Quintet. Monk can be heard supported by two distinct outfits during these, his respective second and third outings as a bandleader on the Prestige label. Taken chronologically, "Let's Call This" and both versions of "Think of One" were documented on November 13, 1953, with Monk (piano), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn), Percy Heath (bass), and Willie Jones (drums). The other four cuts come from a confab involving Monk, Frank Foster (tenor sax), Ray Copeland (trumpet), Curly Russell (bass), and Art Blakey (drums) circa May 11, 1954.

Parties familiar with Monk and Rollins' individual work from around the same era can attest that "Think of One" never really jells, even though Rollins and Watkins turn in well above average performances. The fact that there were two separate attempts at the piece points to the presumption that the musicians weren't totally satisfied--but they shouldn't be considered as disposable, either, as Monk keeps the proceedings lively and is certainly in sync with the band (particularly Rollins, with whom he shares an innate rhythmic sense). The results of the subsequent date are comparatively solid throughout, with Monk and company demonstrating their ability to vacillate between the ultra-sublime update of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and the hardcore bop of "Locomotion" and "Hackensack." Those interested in locating all of Monk's recordings during his tenure on Prestige--including the rest of the November 1953 session--should check out THE COMPLETE PRESTIGE RECORDINGS (2000) box set.

Featuring three takes of two originals from a quintet date with Sonny Rollins, plus three originals and a standard from a quintet date with drummer Art Blakey, MONK rounds out the pianist's output for the Prestige label. At this time Monk was prevented from working New York clubs due to the suspension of his cabaret card; given that fact, the palpable joy of these sessions is miraculous.

Monk's tart transformation of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" employs a canny dissonance and bent note to set up the horns' entrance, by which time he begins a harmonic vivisection of the tune. As the horns toll away, Monk parodies the melody with trills, hammered tones, jagged ascending arpeggios and cascading scaler passages. His solo begins with witty echoes of a bolero, as he gradually creates a fresh harmonic ecto-skeleton for his melodic variations, concluding with provocative open chords.

Monk creates dissonant, harmonic boxcars and badgering rhythmic passages behind the horns on "Locomotive," concluding with some of his favorite trademark runs. His chording behind trumpeter Ray Copeland's fluid solo and Frank Foster's elegant lines add up less to a "comp" than fresh thematic contrasts, which he expands upon in his own solo, as Blakey runs rhythmic interference. "Hackensack" is a wonderful riffing blues line, with tart intervallic horn accents,

Recorded November 13, 1953 at WOR Studios, New York City and May 11, 1954 at Rudy Van Gelder's, Hackensack, New Jersey. Originally released on Prestige (7053). Includes original liner notes by Ira Gitler.

Larry Gales (bass); Ben Riley (drums).

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, New York in 1964. Includes liner notes by Bill Evans and Dick Katz.

Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone);

Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano).

Audio Remasterer: Rudy Van Gelder.

Liner Note Authors: Ira Gitler; Rudy Van Gelder.

Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Sonny Rollins, Frank Foster (tenor saxophones); Ray Copeland (trumpet); Julius Watkins (French horn); Percy Heath, Curly Russell (bass); Willie Jones, Art Blakey (drums).