The Unique Thelonious Monk

Monk, Thelonious

album cover

The Most Melodious Thunk

Thelonious Monk had enough personality for ten jazz musicians, and over the course of his career it brought him equal helpings of fame and scorn. Some bebop musicians of the '40s derided his intricate tunes as gibberish, and for a time in the late '40s and early '50s he had trouble working as a pianist because his approach—he'd jab at the piano in fits of pointillistic fury that one wag described as a "melodious thunk"—was so alien to the prevailing ideal (embodied by Bud Powell) of smooth, unflappable technique. Then, in the mid-'50s, the tide turned: Suddenly Monk's iconoclastic ways won favor. He became a celebrity, his compositions hailed as a vision of the jazz future.

Maybe the world had finally caught up with this defiant individual, or maybe the tipping point was this and a few other sizzling records he made for Riverside in the mid-'50s. Monk began his association with Riverside by doing an album of Ellington tunes, and then this sparkling trio date, which is devoted to standards.

Jazz historians consider the record that followed this one, Brilliant Corners, to be the must-have. It does showcase Monk's scissoring originals, and each is a marvel. But for sheer impulsive delights, Unique is hard to beat, largely because of the authoritative gait of his supporting musicians—bassist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Art Blakey, perhaps the most adroit backing tandem Monk ever had. Applying himself to songs other jazzers would consider trite—"Tea for Two," "Just You, Just Me"—Monk emerges as a subversively lyrical soloist, a trickster capable of keeping listeners on edge with jabbing chords, then seducing them with gloriously romantic melodies. Blakey's presence means that nothing's frantic—when, on "Just You," Monk sets off a rattling series of chordal repetitions, Blakey saunters serenely, his ride cymbal pointing the way to calm waters.

There are signs that Monk recognized his contrary nature. In the notes to The Complete Thelonious Monk on Riverside, producer Orrin Keepnews recalls overhearing the pianist preparing a sideman for a recording session. "Don't pay too much attention to what I'm playing behind you," Monk cautioned. "Because when we record I'll probably be playing something completely different, and it'll only confuse you." Which, of course, is exactly why you should pay attention.

Cover art by L.N.Shustak.

Genre: Jazz
Released: 1956, Riverside
Key Tracks: "Just You, Just Me," "Tea for Two."
Catalog Choice: Brilliant Corners; Solo Monk
Next Stop: Andrew Hill: Point of Departure
After That: Jason Moran: The Bandwagon
Book Pages: 511–512