Monk's Blues

Artist: Thelonious Monk
Label: Sony
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 074645358123
EAN: 0074645358123
ASIN: B00000292M

Release Date: 1994-01-25

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Tracks:

Let's Cool One
Reflections
Rootie Tootie
Just A Glance At Love
Brilliant Cirners
Consecutive Seconds
Monk's Point
Trinkle Tinkle
Straight, No Chaser
Blue Monk
'Round Midnight

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Big Band and Quartet in Concert
Misterioso
Straight, No Chaser
Monk's Dream
It's Monk's Time

Customer Reviews:

Thelonious Sinatra Monk.......2006-12-28

Yes, this is a strange album: at some points one could expect Sinatra bursting into one of his bravado and macho performances, but it's Monk, not Sinatra this album should be about...

One of the most idiosyncratic and brilliant musicians jazz has ever produced is somewhat suffocated by the arrangements but, than again, when he solos, he seems to mock the arrangement, playing at times even more analytically and cynically than usual.
I still LIKE these orchestrated charts (well played- no doubt about it), but it was a mistake to include Monk's solo performance at the same album... That performance merrits at least six stars and it brakes the coherence of the album.

I like Sinatra as well, don't get me wrong, but one should distinguish between things one likes and things one finds brilliant, magnificent, monkish... Orchestrating Monk is a good idea, but this is not sufficiantly Monkish...
Is there an album of Mingus or Gil Evans orchestrating Monk? Now that's something I would like to hear...

Monkish Delight.......2006-08-23

Monk made idiosyncrasy a way of life and a way of music--all without artifice or cliché. He was unrepeatable and unforgettable. No one else sounds much like him, although I have a George Russell recording where Russell (more known as an arranger than a soloist) betrays some influence.

Monk is most known for his quartets, but this is a big band setting with multi-layered and swinging arrangements by Oliver Nelson. Yet Monk is still Monk: the use of space, always playing the melody, the long, inimitable arpeggios, the percussive sensibility, the serious playfulness and earnestness without being precious or pretentious.

Yes, Monk tended to play the same tunes repeatedly at this point in his career, but these renditions shine, nevertheless. Listen. Enjoy. Be thankful. Human are bestowed with the ability to manifest beauty--at times.

Don't be discouraged so fast.......2004-12-30

This was the first Monk album I ever bought, and while it might not be as finger-snappingly Hep as some of his work in more typical, smaller groups, it's still a slamming set of songs, and an album that I play quite often, even after owning it for about a decade. And while the whole thing is quite nice, I have to agree with the earlier reviewer about the solo rendition of 'Round About Midnight at the end...it is well worth the price of the CD for this track alone. It's Monk, you know you want it, don't be scared.

not his best but it went with the times.......2002-12-08

I acquired the rather small Columbia Years box set of Monks work where they respond to the criticism of the album. At the time his Columbia output was being greeted by critics and fans alike for being too much of the same old thing. He debuted a few new tracks but never broke the same ground using new exciting musicians in his studio band, so in response to this he went to California and had Oliver Nelson set up a big band for him to play with. His live big band albums are truely classic and this album simply cant match the greatness of those two live masterpieces("At Town Hall" and "Big Bandl, Quartet Live"). This album was the last of his Columbia albums and it was attacked by everyone the minute it hit the shelves.
I can say I do enjoy this record. Even though it isnt up to the standard of the live albums he did in this vain it is still very good. I do recommend this album if you are a fan of big bands and Oliver Nelson and not if you are seasoned veteran of Monks music if you are willing to accept it as a change of pace and that it is and with its flaws it still can stand on its own two feet.

Repeat Midnight.......2000-07-07

I love the music of Thelonious Monk, but in this big band setting the arrangements are a bit bombastic. The only thing that really stands out is Monk's piano, playfull as ever, twirling around. Suggestion: play the last song of the album again and again and again and again and... His solo Round Midnight is one of the highlights of 20th century music. And that's even an understatement (I really like it).

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