Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 Thelonious Monk Artist

{|Volume 1|} of the two-volume {|Genius of Modern Music|} set comprises the first sessions {|Thelonious Monk|} recorded as a leader, on October 15 and 24 and November 21 of 1947. It's impossible to overstate the importance of these sessions. They inc... Read more

{|Volume 1|} of the two-volume {|Genius of Modern Music|} set comprises the first sessions {|Thelonious Monk|} recorded as a leader, on October 15 and 24 and November 21 of 1947. It's impossible to overstate the importance of these sessions. They include some of the earliest recordings of {|Monk|} compositions that would become {|standards|}, despite their angularity and technical difficulty: the strange, sideways chord progression of {|Thelonious|}; the bouncy and cheerful but melodically cockeyed {|Well, You Needn't|}; the {|post-bop|} {|Bud Powell|} tribute {|In Walked Bud|}; and, of course, {|'Round Midnight,|} which is now one of the most frequently recorded {|jazz|} compositions ever. There are kinks to be worked out: {|Art Blakey|}'s drumming is fine, but he obviously hasn't quite taken the measure of {|Monk|}'s compositional genius, and on the November session, alto saxophonist {|Sahib Shihab|} employs a fat, warbly tone that sounds out of place. But the excitement of discovery permeates every measure, and {|Monk|} himself is in top form, his solos jagged and strange, yet utterly beautiful. This first volume of {|Genius of Modern Music|}, along with the second, belongs in every {|jazz|} collection. ~ Rick Anderson Less