Brilliant Corners

Ok

I don't know about these jazz albums, they just appear to be ripped from another list with Kind of Blue and other usual suspects as 'tasteful jazz albums for the non-jazzer'. Why not some classical for the non-classical? Surely everyone has to hear Jacqueline Du Pre's Elgar Cello Concerto or quite frankly any version of Messiens Quartet for the End of Time? So rant over this is a great album, full of Monk's unique runs and chords, while perhaps being slightly mellower than some of his other stuff

I just love Jazz, could listen to it for hours. It makes me insanely productive and calms my mind. Amazing album!

just lovely!! sonny rollins is truly masterful here considering it's early days. 1.) i surrender dear 2.) ba-lue bolivar ba-lues-are 3.) pannonica

Brilliant corners indeed. Like a peak David Beckham. This was actually pretty marvellous for the time period, as it's rare to get a level of invention in jazz, apart from Miles Davis and (I know now) the Monk.

Great album, really easy listening. Just enjoyable first thing in the morning

I’ve definitely said this before, but I’m oftentimes not the biggest jazz fan. However, every now and then, I’ll find an album that clicks and I’ll be unable to explain why. Today’s album is one of these albums. I found myself humming Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues Are throughout the day. This album gives an air of coolness. It makes you want to sip wine and wear make up.

Was familiar with these but not the name. Will be in my rotation.

Fine jazz. I like that one part that sounds like the Cruella de Vil theme.

Making me feel the holiday cheer

this almost sounds too cool for the 1950s if that makes sense bemsha swing is a slayyy. again historical accuracy aside, it reminds me of bablyon (2022) - or should i say they could have been inspired by Thelonious Monk on their soundtrack...

I have so many thoughts about this! I’m not really familiar with the world of jazz, and Thelonious Monk is a new name to me, but it reminded me how much I really enjoy it even though I rarely listen to it. I’m not very musically-inclined, so I find the way jazz is often so flexible with rhythm really impressive—there’s not always a clear pattern to it for me. But I definitely have to be in the right mood for it. It works well as background music, but when I need to focus, the unpredictable sounds can get overwhelming. My brain tries to organize it, and it just ends up being too much. Also reminds me I haven't been to the Green Mill in a while and should probably make a trip soon ... @brett

Enjoyed this album, it gave me Miles Davis vibes.

Classic hard pop that highlights the incredible skill of Monk as both a performer and a composer. Even at it's most stripped down, Monk offers a vulnerable look into his mind as he commands each song. And indeed, this album was breakthrough success for him as he got to sell his own songs instead of standards. His complexity, intricacy, and respect for jazz music is what makes him one of the greats to this day.

Brilliant piano tones, a fantastic groundbreaking album for the fifties

Un des albums jazz que j'ai préférés, parce qu'il me semblait accessible même dans sa veine exploratoire

A nice album. I have to confess I preferred the sections which were both in time and in tune.

Nice jazz album, I enjoyed the sound. Relaxing.

Excellent album! I loved the energy, simplicity and technicality of each song, I would definitely listen to it again

Awesome album and performances, especially Monk and Rollins. I do prefer some of the later 60’s albums from Monk but this one’s a classic for a reason!

I thoroughly enjoyed the harmonies and syncopated rhythms in the pieces presented here. I also enjoyed the orchestration, and Thelonious Monk’s piano playing is superb. I should probably have listened a bit closer, as I think I would probably have given 5 stars then, but as it is I think I’ll stick with 4.

a charming, elegant album. strangely enough, i was much more charmed by Henry and Rollins' saxwork than i was with Thelonious Monk on his own album. one of these people would die the same year this came out, the other would go on to continue a long and illustrious career in jazz and is still alive. it makes you wonder how different things could have been. two people going down wildly different paths in life working together to do beautiful things and then one of you dies. does that person become a part of you, or is that just a section of your mind closed off, meant to be callused over? an aside: its always sweet when i hear Monk humming under the keys as he plays it. you can feel the love in his art.

I mean, yeah, it's Thelonious Monk - potentially the most annoying name that you're most Hipster friend can ever pronounce. Annoyingly as well it's not bad, although it does play with that fine line of being genius Vs. Being a 5 year old discovering the piano makes funny noises.

cannot say anything bad about it sunday ripley reading music

Groovily strong and crisp, if also angularly languid and quite a bit offbeat – and thus highly distinctive. Sonny Rollins is a star, here and elsewhere of course. Don't sleep on Monk's Dream (which swings differently, perhaps not in such a full-on Monkian way) or the reocrds with Coltrane. "Pannonica" and title cut are inimitable in style and structure.

Really enjoyed as someone who has not quite cracked casually listening to jazz yet. The length of songs is often intimidating however I did not feel the time pass with this record. Highlights: - Brilliant corners - Pannonica !!

Some good stuff. Sonny did a great job on this record

great jazz album

I fear no jazz

Day258 - this is what i would call an essential album

This is Primer level shit, I don't understand it but I love it. It does not fully connect with me since the songs do not have a lot of recognicability (at least for me), but they have soul.

Today I'm definitely in a jazz mood, not a rock mood.

Yeah, nice, smooth & clear as day, within the ears I listen to Jazz with at the back of my minds attention span. If I listen hard, it's fascinating. I listen loose it's clear and clean to lighten the day with. Yeah, I think it's a really solid piece of music to listen to. I can see me picking this up many times to listen to into the future. Very nice. 4 stars.

If corners were usually this bright, no child pre-1989 would have had any problems being placed there after a troublesome occasion. Just as troublesome but, ultimately, brilliant in his profession is Mr. Monk himself who allows himself to transverse various corners in this five song trek alongside some of the best jazz players of the day including, notably, Sonny Rollins before his excursion to the bridge for a spiritual quest. A worthwhile album to look towards if one is inclined to delve further into the jazz genre. Favorites: Brilliant Corners, Pannonica, I Surrender, Dear.

86% Best: Brilliant Corners; Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are; Bemsha Swing Must-Hear? Sure

This album is old enough to be my jazzdaddy.

When you have never heard the name but you have heard some songs then You know its a serious thing Had never heard this band name ever and yet had heard 2 songs out of 6 on this album. Beautiful sound the classic definition of jazz. Easy listening great flow, a song a bit too long and the last song finished abruptly with the musician speaking which kind of killed it for me on the 5 stars. If you want to relax this is a must listen.

The problem with this list is that not all of these albums are equal. I'm not saying that because I don't like punk or metal or whatever but that they seemed to scramble for the last couple decades, loading it up with albums that were popular for two weeks or whatever and just middling rock music. And then the fifties albums are all like stone cold classics. This is a list that should've given itself more parameters, maybe nothing could be added till it had been around for ten or so years. That way they could reflect more and have more brilliant albums such as this.

Jazz is a completely different beast. The way it is conceived, composed, and recorded is so different (imho) than most other genres. Good jazz musicians know their instruments at a level that I find difficult to even comprehend. And T-Monk is one of the GOATs.

Artiste connu (tous les amateurs de jazz devraient le connaitre !), mais album inconnu. Seul morceau déjà entendu : Bemsha swing. J'aime beaucoup ce pianiste, avec son approche harmonique vraiment particulière qui lui est propre. Et les thèmes dans ce disque sont vraiment très intéressants, en particulier le titre éponyme. Je pense qu'il va intégrer ma collection ! Mais pas la note maximale (j'aime encore plus d'autres morceaux de Monk comme par exemple son interprétation de April in Paris, pas dans cet album). => 4.5/5

Listened while walking through Bedstuy

Great album.

Good stuff yeh

Went into this expecting to not like it. I was so wrong. 4/5

Sort of a swingy big band style, just without the big band. So it maybe didn't have all the same intricacies, but it also made it a little more intimate which I liked

Brilliant. Now this challenged my listening in the right ways : modal style, rhythmic inconsistency, un-landing melodies, not a lyric in sight but saying a lot, unpredictable interplay of instruments. I could only aspire to get to the point of playing that you can throw away the rules and make up your own as you go! I suppose this is the music that Jerry Lee Lewis was saying “fu k that shit” to, but I’ve made a place for them both…I’ll just make sure they don’t get seated side by side or they might get into it….

Strangely, I listened to this while doing yard work and some breaking down of old decking, and it seemed so oddly discordant....the soundtrack of urban complexity and musical refinement framing physical labour, sweat, and muscular exertion.... but it worked, and smoothed out my afternoon with a kind of calm balm.... Is there a class to jazz? Is it an upper class.kind of music? Does it belong in cocktail bars and quiet penthouse lofts? Is it well dressed and smartly pressed? Does it sneer at its bluesy cousin and dirty folk brethren? All i know is that this is where the saxophone belongs...maybe jazz is the *only* place that saxophone belongs...

This sort of album is one of the reasons I'm working through this list of albums. I'm far from being a jazz aficionado so I can't form a particularly informed opinion of this record. Essentially, I found this a rather pleasant record to listen to. I can't say it's brilliant, can't say it's rubbish. The wikipedia page refers to composition, but to my ears it sounds like a bunch of skilled musicians noodling around together (with pretty good results). If I was feeling uncharitable I might suggest it sounds like lounge bar music at times. But given I found it a nice record, 4/5.

This is what people who hate jazz, think jazz is. Love these artists, but this is an acquired taste. 4/5

Good jazz

Thoughts before listening: I have a big blind spot for Thelonious Monk as I do for many of the jazz greats. This isn't one of the albums I recognize, but I'm sure it's great. Review: This is essentially the definition of jazz. Cool, laid back, piano driven with great players contributing throughout. This is background music for a hipster cocktail party in the 50s. Hard to complain about this, 4-stars.

Good Jazz album. I don't know too much about it but it was nice and easy to listen to.

liked this! didn't love the opening song but the album grew on me

#60 - A good one, very vibey. Also perhaps the origin of some famous modelling. Love the different moods it cycles through. Also some kickass bass solos and love that they added a vibraphone / glockenspiel!

Very cool. Great music to work with. Smooth but not so smooth that it would put you to sleep. A lot of talent on these tracks. A tight band making it sound easy.

a Classic jazz album. The great Sonny Rollins on this one.

I hadn’t heard of Thelonious Monk before. From what I gather, he was a jazz pianist and composer with a unique improvisational style. His compositions featured dissonance and multiple key switches, silences, and pauses in his playing. Brilliant Corners is his 11th studio album and is mostly comprised of his compositions, save for one cover. On a fundamental level, I appreciated the technical expertise of Thelonious and his backing band. Songs like "Pannonica" and "Bemsha Swing" showcase the piano and horns able to flourish and swing in a manner that's accessible yet still proficiently played. There's a certain eloquence that's evoked, and I enjoyed it for the most part on this album. The biggest hurdle to be had with Brilliant Corners is side one. The opening title track was compiled from multiple takes as it turned out to be a complex piece, and it shows as the focus hops from one instrument to another without much cohesion. Following that up with the 13-minute "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" added to a challenging listen from the get-go, though that piece sonically coalesced better over its movements. I had a pleasant enough time with Brilliant Corners as a hard jazz album. It was a nice experience to have it in the background and reflect. Give it a chance.

oscar oscar mitä teit... oscar pettiford... basson mläjäyttäjä... niin saatanan laadukas sooloilija että heitettiin vittuun bändistä albumin loppuakohden.. siksi lähtee yksi tähti ruthless treatment of oscar... mutta muuten pianokikkailija pianodiddler tekee taikaa sievillä sormillaan.. pikkukätöset pomppii viehakkaan söpöt minihandut kiemurtelee norsunluu ja eebeenpuun koskittimilla ei kuulu yhtään ylimääräistä ääntä niin höyhenenkevyesti toimii mekaniikka theloniouksella Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are

Weird, experimental jazz at it's best. I don't know that I'd call it a fun listen, but its definitely an interesting listen.

Excellent jazz album.

Yes I knew the name. Not the album. Clearly it's polished high end stuff from some kind of pure uncompromising musical genius. The competing or contrasting overlaid melodies, like a well composed double exposure photo, can be enjoyed intellectually for a bit. Too much and it becomes demanding (for some, well, for me....) ... So, call me lazy, or bourgeois, but I like to take my jazz easy, where the music does the work, and I sing along, bop along or just chill. Nevertheless I admire this music for its precision, clarity, and tight instrumentation. Top stuff. Just not my alley... [Side note, I discovered I do really like other recordings.... Midnight Blue, and Blue Monk, among some other tracks of his repertoire - his collaborations with Coltrane I think are more my style, mellow and flowing] ... Maybe it's just this album .

For a long time, all I knew about Monk were Round Midnight & Blue Monk &, from various film clips, his often bizarre mannerisms as he played. Then, about ten years ago I lucked upon an original Australian vinyl copy of Brilliant Corners in excellent condition. What a revelation. I’m not sure if I ever really knew what “cool” was, but I think this album qualifies. Especially Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are, featuring the 26-year old Sonny Rollins on tenor sax and the great drumming of Max Roach. That 13-minute track gives all of Monk’s sidemen the chance to shine and they do. Apparently he was some taskmaster, which is why you get a slightly different lineup on each side of the album. The only track not composed by Monk is I Surrender Dear, the 1931 hit for Bing Crosby, which launched his solo career. It was recorded in the same year by Louis Armstrong, and became a go-to standard thereafter for jazz players. It is interesting to listen to the Ray Charles version, also released in 1957, on his second album for Atlantic. It’s also an instrumental, but with a band behind him, including Oscar Pettiford, who also plays bass on the Monk album. Monk’s version however is completely solo. The difference between the two versions is extreme - more gymnastics involved for Monk. I’m so glad to have given this album several listens in the last few daze.

Instrumental smooth jazz, good stuff, some easy listening today.

That is some smooth jazz.

Сперва я был такой мееех пуффф опять джазз опять чё попало а потом включили саксофон и что-то.. что-то по кайфу! рабочий денёк летит

Good jazz album. Started a bit too abstract, but I quite liked it.

Nice jazz album. I still don’t “understand” this stuff yet, so it’s a bit abstract for me, but it sounds well-made.

Honestly I enjoyed more than I thought I would when I started it - it was a bit discordant but in kinda a fun way

Soothing as background music

Zeg 'jazz' en mensen horen dit waarschijnlijk voor zich. Het voelt wat gedateerd. Maar ik erger me daar niet zo aan. De schijnbaar vrije instrumenten kunnen elkaar toch prima vinden. Het vrije schiet niet door in de complexe jazz voor de liefhebber. Er gebeurt genoeg, maar het blijft toegankelijk. Wat dat betreft is het wat Parker achtig. 3,5 ster

3.5

Briliant Jazz album - if you are in the mood for Jazz. For me in person, it's a little bit too heavy. Therefore only 4 stars

Lovely bit of music. Really like the interplay between the musicians. Nearly an amazing album, just missing a little something extra. 4.5/5 Will listen again

Longtime Coltrane fan, but I can definitely appreciate the work of Monk, Rollins, and Henry here.

This sounds insanely good, considering it came out in the 50's.

I know Monk, but I don’t really know his music in depth. This album was an enjoyable listen and there were some parts I recognized. At first, not really recognizing when it was from I felt like it sounded like a lot of other jazz I’ve heard…knowing it’s from the late 50’s made me realize how influential this record and Monk must have been as most of what I was comparing this to was from the 60s and 70s. Going to keep going through Thelonious’s catalogue.

It is good jazz, OG. But it is what it is.

Ville nok være en 5'er hvis det var et livealbum

Groovy, diverst, lækkert. Fedt med noget mere guldalderjazz på listen

Wish I knew more about jazz! I know what I like, and this I like. Not a dud on this album. It rewarded both focused listening and inattentive listening.

I had heard this name before, but I'm going to be honest, judging just based on the name I thought he was an ancient Greek philosopher. So seeing that he's actually a jazz musician, and this album has 5 tracks and still clocks in at 42 minutes, color me intrigued. This seemed like a pretty basic, understated jazz record (subtlety is absolutely NOT a bad thing when it comes to jazz in my opinion by the way), until I realized this was all the way back in 1957. Knowing that, this record seems far ahead of its time in its smoothness mixed with some dynamic shifts as well. While there was one stand-out song for me in "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are", the rest of the record blended so well from song to song that it was hard to distinguish the beginnings and ends of tracks. Really felt like one long sonata as opposed to 5 disjointed songs. A real joy to listen to and I'm glad I'm able to be exposed to names I'd heard of but never delved into. Notable Tracks: - Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are - cool drum break compliments the catchy hook 7/10

The tone of this record is amazing. Given the players I’m not surprised this is a classic.

I'd be lying if I said I either understood jazz improvisation or listened to a lot of it. You can tell everyone playing is good and at the top of their game though.

gorgeous stuff all round

Love this absolute legend, banger album - one of the first jazz artists I was introduced to, courtesy of my brother Greg!

Maybe not my favourite Monk but I love the jazz! Gimme more jazz!

Monk's 50s works have never been my favourite - partially because he never quite got weird in the way that I appreciate from his contemporaries (Mingus, Coleman and Cecil Taylor specifically) - Not to sound like a pretentious dickhead but I like the freak side of jazz - and at the end of the day I'm a spiritual jazz head more than any other movement in jazz (altho i have embraced third-stream in recent years) I like Monk's 60s ragtime-y stuff which is weird, but only weird because it's incredibly normal. Anyways, this dude was pretty normal at the end of the day and I guess it seems like that was my basic issue with him. But I also think hes epic and he rocks.

Never listened to an entire jazz album before. Not a genre I’ve explored. Definitely pleasant. More as background music than full focus, but a good intro and exploration of something new to me. Encouraged me to take a peek into his history and other musical works. May just hit up Thelonius in the future when my brain wants to visit some unique instrumental pathways.

good

Pannonica my fav. It’s like a jam of fly me to the moon.

I liked it a lot. Monk is a blind spot in my musical experience. My jazz well is admittedly, not deep. And when I am feeling jazz, I tend to wade in the cool pool. But I'll be checking out more of this.

Finally some "proper" jazz to challenge my limited intake. I'd always meant to listen to more jazz (esp being a Pumpkins fan who's always hearing Jimmy Chamberlin talk about the great jazz drummers, not to mention growing up watching Mr Rogers with its live jazz trio playing the intro/outro songs differently every single time) but never really got seriously into it. The title track is sufficiently difficult as to be almost hard to follow & figure out (apparently so much so that it took 25 takes to record & still had to be pieced together from those, as none were complete). 2nd track somehow reminds me of the Cruella De Vil song (although that came out a few years later). Pannonica is a nice slow piece- unfortunately the youtube music version had some horrible skipping in the last minute. After that is a nice solo piano piece (very interesting to find that he was a fan of Rachmaninoff) before the final swing. Cool album- now off to listen to more jazz!

Great jazz album

Great

A fantastic jazz album. Monk's music has a quiet cool about it that I love.

The list of important jazz figures is seemingly endless. And Thelonious Sphere Monk, who might have debatably the coolest name ever, is just another one of the more influential composers in the evolution of the hard bop sound in the late 50s and early 60s. I am wholly unfamiliar with his work, though. And I will never be opposed to sitting down with a jazz album. After hearing it, I’ll be honest and admit that this isn’t my favorite jazz album I’ve ever heard. But I enjoy parts of it. The streak still technically continues. I won’t deny this album its flowers. This is by all means a technically and compositionally sound set of recordings. That first song alone took them over a dozen takes to get. And you can hear it. This isn’t something the average composer would be capable of writing and performing. And no doubt, Monk proves himself as a very capable pianist. I Surrender, Dear is actually a really beautiful piece of solo piano work. All in all, this album does a great job with allowing each component of the band flex their abilities. As far as I remember, there are multiple drum solos on different songs. What keeps this from really matching up to my favorite jazz albums is the connection I have with it. Which is unfortunately very little. It isn’t easy to form a real connection with me just on a single first listen. But those albums that do are special. It’s just hard for me to really feel this album on a deeper level. And it doesn’t drawn me in emotionally like a good Coltrane or Davis album might. But this isn’t a terrible record at all. Still definitely a worthwhile part of the history of golden age jazz. Rating: 7/10

This album was very good. Jazz is often thought of as background music, easy to listen too and forget about. Brilliant corners is not that. With complex rhythms and musical structures I found myself entranced and pulled to give the music my full attention at multiple points across its short runtime.

some nice piano jazz

I'm familiar with the name Thelonious Monk, but I haven't listened to any of his albums before. I've been enjoying my dips into the jazz canon through this project, so I'm excited for this today.

Really good jazz album

3.5

one of monks not as good albums hmmm meditations ponder

Pretty

I can see why these guys are so well known.

Never used to be a jazz fan, but in the past bunch of years have been acquiring a taste and exploring the classic jazz artists. The thing I enjoy most about the era is there are incredible instrumentals with some of the top jazz artists at the time. You can tune in and let the music relax you without the distraction of vocalists. Monk is a legend and glad I had the pleasure...more!

I feel classy

Solid jazz tuneage

I like Monk, but sometimes he can be too complex for me. I listened to this in the car on a five hour trip and really got to concentrate on listening, and I really enjoyed it. I feel that’s what you have to do with his music. It’s not passive listening. The man was an absolute genius.

Smoooooth Jazz

Great Album

This album is a classic. Generally strong, my only gripe is that sometimes the album is too trumpet-forward which washes out the other musicians. Otherwise very strong. 4/5.

Not my favourite of Monk's, but the general chaotic looseness is so distinct and entrancing, I can't turn it off.

Monk has such a distinctive sound that makes me feel like I can really hear every note even during complex, virtuosic runs. As soon as I listened to this album, I started again back from the top. Definitely one with some staying power.

What can you say brilliant! Great Jazz from the guy with the best name.

I don't pretend to know anything much about jazz but I know that I like this

El último tema, versión incompleta, es una forma brillante de terminar un álbum

Great jazz, tight knit band too they bounce off each other well. 3.5

I played saxophone in elementary/middle school so whenever I listen to jazz my ear naturally gravitates towards the saxes. Hard for it not to whenever you have Sonny Rollins on the record too. Really enjoyed this listen, I had heard of Thelonious Monk before but I did not know much about him.

Angular as one would expect of things with corners.

Some solid jazz work here. Playing was exceptional. Max Roach in particular shone on the drums. Monk is a craftsman and it shows brightly. Not quite as good as Kind of Blue or Love Supreme but still a worthy addition to any jazz collection.

Title track especially great, can see the hype around this though.

Very chill

This is a cornerstone, one of the most impactful Jazz albums ever. Of course, much is about the playing, the display of artistry and the fun of interaction. But it is beyond that, it is mainly Monk's approach on time and rhythm, the way he is capable of of free-floating, that set him apart. At his time this was extraordinary, and only few could follow him. This tension is not resolved here, which makes it difficult to really appreciate.

Vintage Monk, yet one that I'd not previously heard entirely. Great to have an excuse to just sit and listen to a master.

👍 Very solid, not boring, could definitely listen to this again.

I think I’m just a sucker for this type of stuff. I love hearing all the instruments working together, and I love the solos. Some great drumming on here too 8/10

You can hear references to other compositions, like Rapsody in Blue. Really good!

If I had to describe this album using one of the words from its title, corners wouldn't make sense at all, so I'll just go ahead and call this album brilliant. This is some great jazz right here. The work that went into this album is tremendous. The mastery of the instruments, understanding of music itself, and complexity behind the compositions make this a great listen. It serves well as good background noise for other tasks, but also has enough depth to it to be able to spend the whole 42 minutes just analyzing the sound. All of the instruments just blend well to create an album that's well worth a listen, or maybe even multiple. Light 4/5.

I didn't think I would ever like jazz music, but it seems that now I do.

Ambience.

A jazz classic, the performances on here are stellar and the melodies are incredible. It wanders around and takes you on a journey from start to finish.

The think I like about jazz is I think the improvisational aspect is as close to mapping the creative human mind we have. That said, the music itself (outside of a live setting) doesn't do too much for me besides background music. Although I do love playing it when I write. Monk is exceptional for me because of his eccentric playing style and I really liked a lot of this more than I thought I would. I like to think he's playing with hot dog fingers.

Really liked this one. Never spent a full album with TMonk - he certainly loves his dissonance, and I guess the title track took 25 takes. At one point the bass player couldn't be heard but it turned out he was just miming it. This one is right on the edge between 4 and 5 stars but I'm gonna go 4.

amazing album for the time it came out, foundational

Max Roach - blistering yet precise drum solos

4-

Seems great. I don't listen to massive amount of jazz but this seems bloody good.

I can't say I've listened to all that much of Thelonious Monk's repertoire, so it's both fun to get an album by him and at the same time hard to know if this is outstanding or typical for him. Either way, I enjoyed listening to it. It's a bit of a bummer to read (the Wikpedia entry) about how challenging this album was to make, and how it ended up being more of a compilation album thanks to the complete dysfunction involved in recording the title track, especially given how each track *sounds* as if it's a bunch of friends having a good time riffing off each other. (But also pretty funny to find out that in one of the apparently 25 takes of "Brilliant Corners," the bassist was pantomiming playing in protest (or maybe just annoyance).) Tensions and egos aside, this is a fun album of clearly talented musicians.

enjoyed but wasn't blown away by this

I feel like I'm listening to the movie Whiplash without the scolding of JK Simmons. I can't deny the sheer talent in this record. The rhythm section alone makes me speechless. I'm unsure how to even rate this... Because it's brilliant all around. But st the same time... I don't really want to hear it again. I'd love to watch it. It's a 5/5 if I saw it live, but I am going to have to give it a 4/5 just listening to it. Even with that, I don't know if I'm being too strict with this rating. But I'm going with my gut.

Hard bop. Es como jazz instrumental. Está bien para trabajar. Un 4.

Great stuff, stellar band! Whenever I listen to Monk, I feel like it's about to drop into chaos. Listening to this album, I realized it's because he plays so far behind the beat. Also, on I Surrender Dear I realized the piano has a few notes just a touch out of tune, which adds a little grit to the overall coolness and beauty of the recording. Fabulous!

A fine example of an artist I hadn’t had much exposure to in the past, whose discography I would now love to deep-dive into. Brilliant Corners was brilliant indeed. This is exactly why I enjoy the 1001 albums project so much, stumbling across gold like this.

b2b jazz! This one certainly has a different feel than the Bill Evans Trio. I really like that this album gives each instrument time to shine and it isn't too chaotic like some Jazz.

Back to back jazz albums which is cool to see the differences in style. This is more my style of jazz than Bill Evans. I like the walking bass in the background and the powerful horns. This would have been a great time to go see live at and dance the whole time

Listened to some Monk but not this one. Another one I’m happy I listened to on a gloomy day. Just really pleasant on the ears. This one’s a little “louder” than the last with some sax spiraling away on it. All about it easy 4.

That's jazz baby

I really enjoyed this, would listen again.

Great relaxing jazz. Good music to work to.

Don’t know enough about jazz to say anything more meaningful here, but this was a nice listen.

Approachable yet technical Jazz, I love anything by Monk

amazing jazz

Good album, a bit boring as just instrumental but felt peaceful

3.7

Fun, bouncy, colorful

Album Already Known: N # Songs Already Known: 0 # Songs Saved: 0 Notes: Getting fed so many (2) jazz albums so early Loved listening to this If only I continued band throughout high school...this coulda been me fr...

There are aspects of this album - like the title track - that help me speak the beautiful jazz vernacular. There are other tracks that stymie my scholarly pursuits in this arena. I’m still better for having heard it. I’ll round up a half-star correspondingly and get back to my studies.

3.75

1. 4.2 2. 4.4 3. 3.8 4. 3.8 5. 4.2

Jazz.

4.5 joyita mal

Some good jazz to break up the yacht rock.

There’s only one Monk. This may not be the single record that proves that thesis, but it still makes the case.

excellent

Classic

Great jazzy album

Thelonious was definitely one of the greatest.

Brilliant Corners is one of the most incredible jazz songs I've ever heard.

magiskt piano, magisk sax

Jazz vibin all day. Blends together and fades into the background, but sets a fl mellow mood

Brilliant, indeed. Kneeling out of respect for Sonny Rollins in particular.

4.5 I am quite certain that there is a lot I don’t understand about jazz, but that was a great listen through and through.

no notes. pretty fucking great.

don't know what to say about this one other than that I liked it

With as vast as jazz is, I don't know if I am able to truly comment on an album like this. That said, what I do know is how it made me feel. Despite struggling to find the pocket in the first and second track ,once arrived, it was a warm and entertaining listen. Jazz albums attributed to leaders always feel somewhat slight as the players across the board are masters in their domains and the limelight is spread and shared evenly. I'm excited to hear more as I progress through this exercise.

bas mi se svidia, lipo za ucenje

Meni dobar vajb dok radim

Za pozadinu super

Maybe Monk’s breakthrough album. I wish they’d tuned the piano! 4 stars

So this is a jazz album. If it has no singing I most likely won’t enjoy it as much. I do like jazz a lot though.

Esta bien

Brilliant. And LOVED Sonny Rollins. Added.

Very good. Very creative. I enjoyed most of the tracks.

4 de 5

Just some easy listening Jazz.

p good, love what he did later

A very solid jazz album. This LP has tremendous production for a fifties album too, it’s possible that it’s been remastered, but it doesn’t explicitly say. All the instruments have their roles and they all play their parts well.

This was a great jazz album, I love the longer songs too.

Experimental jazz. They say it's genius. Not sure about that, but it was great to listen to.

Brilliant Corners Day Three of Albums and Day Two of hearing Olivia quote “Do you like jazz??” From the bee movie Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are Pannonica I Surrender, Dear Bemsha Swing Once again the lungs on these artists. Damn. Sleuthy vibes, it’s giving six of crows x pink Panther x Thomas crown affair x jazz. I love it. Based on my taste in music: 4.2/5 Pretending to be a music critic: 4.7/5

One of the first jazz records I bought.

First time listening to Thelonius Monk. Felt like I wanted a cigarette and a bourbon. Great music to let it waft over you. Thanks for sending this one.

Bright fun jazz. Sent it to Katri and she got into it too

Great jazz album! Noted for future use.

I don’t think I’m very qualified to have much of an opinion of jazz music. It’s a very cozy album. Makes me want to sit in front of a fireplace with a comfortable blanket. Makes me think of the Christmas music I enjoy, or a fancy hotel lobby or nice restaurant. It sounded very technical. That mixed with the song lengths is very impressive.

I love the variation of sounds between songs. This record takes you on an awesome journey. Especially the title track. That song is all over, progressing, speeding up, slowing down. Its a journey. The brass, the keys, the bass are all on point and jam so tight together. The drums, however, really stand out. What I really like about this record is how they take risks but always keep it tight and progressing forward, each moment where you think its going one way, it always ties back to original song. I also did not realize the "Cruella Deville" is a total rip off of "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-lue-ares." Super cool. Plus, that song absolutely slays. The jams are so good. Every instrument gets a moment that feels natural and non-forced. The keys in Pannonica are so dreamy. I like how this song slows down the pace, its moody and vibey but keeps the aesthetic of the rest of the record. Really fun and deeply engaging record.

Zeer fijne jazz!

God baggrundsjazz

Absolutely fantastic jazz album

Ba-Lue, more like Cruella. Bitchin vibes and standards. 3.75/5

An enjoyable listen. I don't appreciate bop enough to really drill into the details of this album, but I'm glad I listened to it.

Could get behind this kind of jazz.

I really enjoyed the music and had never listened (I'm ashamed to say) to a whole album of his.

Oh this is going to be fun. Ok, not my favorite. This is closer to what people who hate jazz, think jazz is. It’s still pretty great and unique.

Great album that I've never listened to before

I had "heard of" Thelonious Monk but had never "heard" him. This was a treat and I will likely purchase the album.

A wonderful jazz album from start to finish. Carries you along with it.

Not jazz fan, so it didn't sound immediately friendly to my ear. Enjoyed the solos, as well as the interplay of instruments. Would like to listen to it another time or two.

Solid Jazz.

One of the better jazz albums we have listened to on this journey. Would 100% return to more Monk. 3.5/5

EEN JAZZ ALBUM, thank god. Na al die rock hiervoor ben ik blij weer even iets anders te hebben. Het is een prachtig album, met daarin slechts 5 nummers, maar deze zijn allemaal lang en nemen je mee op reis. Vertellen een verhaal zeg maar. De piano is de grote ster, logisch met Thelonious Monk als hoofdartiest, en dat vind ik wel eens fijn na voornamelijk de saxofoon of trompet als ster te hebben gehad tot noch toe. Het is een fijn album, zeker niet op het level van Kind of Blue, maar dat is dan ook een uitzonderlijk album. Wel vind ik dit gewoon echt een heel erg goed album. Ik snap volledig dat dit onderdeel is van de lijst, geef me alsjeblieft meer Jazz. FAVO: Pannonica, I Surrender, Dear, Bemsha Swing

Not a jazz fan, but I enjoyed this album. Great technique on all the instruments, an enjoyable listen. Of the five tracks, I liked I Surrender, Dear, the most.

I might be a jazz guy?

This album was enjoyable as all hell. I love that it’s got such a back story of how complex these tracks were to play and the vision Monk had to push through the turmoil in order bring these tracks to life… now? Do I think you need to hear this album before you die? If you want to hear how Jazz became complex? How Jazz moved into the Miles, Coltrane technical era? Subsequently creating artists like Prince? Then I will suggest you listen. If none of that means anything to you? Then you have every reason to skip. But it is an enjoyable, albeit specific, listen that I’ll happily return to but I don’t know if others will

fun jazz stuff i like. 7.5/10

Very enjoyable listed. Chaotic at times but bursting with talent through and through

Cool stuff. Title track had to be spliced from takes cuz so complicated apparently the bass player resorted to miming his parts on one occasion

Also das ist eindeutig wieder Jazz!

This one had me in the first half. The piano wasn’t my speed, and it brought me down in the first half. The songs also just weren’t that interesting to me. But the second half was a major step up. The last two songs in particular were amazing. While half of it isn’t that good, it’s worth it to see the second half. Cool!

Nice Jazz, what more is there to say

This is exactly down the middle in what I expect from Jazz, it ticked all the boxes in a good way without ever really surprising me. It might be that this was the trailblazer that makes jazz sound like this, but I doubt it. Perfect background jazz when you don't want any curveballs but Im not bowled over by it. 3.5

good jay

Thelonious Monk is fantastic. This album feels so ahead of it's time for coming out in the 1950s. Love the sax work on it in particular.

Nice. MAI TREBUIE INCERCAT. Ca l am ascultat pe sarite

Would I listen to this album again? Not the entire album Were there any songs I skipped? No. Comments? Some great jazz! Favourite Songs? Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-lues-Are

Very enjoyable jazz. The kind that can be played in a bar, an elevator, a restaurant, at home, during work, at an after-work, etc. Many songs would be perfect for a Leonardo Di Caprio movie with him picturing some random rich guy in the gay twenties.

Jazzy and relaxed. Well made

what can i say, monk is the man. there's no one like him and there will never be. his playing is a style of its own, and maybe an acquired taste, but i love how off-kilter and nonsensical his solos can be. just really cool. and of course, he has a great band here as well. never listened to this one before and i'm not the world's biggest jazzhead out there, but i really enjoyed my time with this one!

Nice and lovely jazz record.

really enjoyed it, I know very little about jazz so have no useful insights.

I’m not normally a big fan of jazz. Which is odd because I live in New Orleans and spend a lot of my time (through work) in a Jazz Club. But this album wasn’t bad. Only 5 tracks, which could honestly have been one big track. Easy listening.

Being a sophisticate is the same thing as being a kid banging random notes. I definitely like that. Nothing to prove. “Cool” as “get real,” intellect disgusted with refinement. To me this is classic housework music. Getting your hands dirty, being messy, is part of showing off and feeling on top of things.

Lives up to the name for sure

11/06/23 2:45 S Tier————————— Bemsha Swing A Tier————————— I Surrender Dear Ba Lue Bolivar Pannonica B Tier————————— Brilliant Corners C Tier————————— D Tier—————————

bemshaaaaaa

Chill fri jazz

Sweet piano jazz album

first listen this is a bop (pun intended)

Just some very good background jazz. 4.5

Brilliant Corners opens with dissonant chords, seemingly welcoming the listener into the deep end of Monk's jazz bending mind. As the motif kicks in, organizing everyone into rhythm and key, the tempo quickly picks up and your swept away into a frenetic, powerful display of jazz throughout 5 track album.

most jazz sounds similar and is just background music for me, i can tell it’s great music i just wouldn’t be able to tell it’s them if i heard it

Excellent jazz

Enjoyed this! It was easy and pleasant listening and I found it easy to enjoy while working.

I really liked the jazz melodies and tunes. Very relaxing and pleasant to listen to.

Relaxing and energetic at the same time. I enjoyed it

Great jazz thelonious is the goat

Very accessible so far as jazz goes, really liked it

amazing jazz accomplishment — precise and polished

I feel like I'm too much of a jazz normie to understand why this is good, but I really like how it sounds. Bemsha Swing has a kinda of tiresome melody.

solid jazz album

Great smooth listen

"Brilliant Corners" is Thelonious Monk's magnum opus, showcasing his innovative genius in jazz. Each track demonstrates Monk's ability to push boundaries while respecting tradition. It solidifies his status as a trailblazer and remains a timeless inspiration for musicians. This album is a testament to Monk's enduring legacy in jazz.

Still trying to figure out Brilliant Corners.

This sure is a jazz album, and it sure is good too.

Funny how these more free kinds of Jazz help my mind to unwind and relax. I would‘ve expected the very opposite but the way the music is a complete mystery to me it‘s kinda easier to let it be and soak into one‘s troubled mind. 3.5

Pretty cool. First taste of Jazz and I dig it man.

I could listen to this every weekend morning with a cup of coffee. Or a smoky bar every weekend night. For jazz (my listening knowledge is pretty thin) this is smooth and really nice. Chaotic, as jazz can be, but the chaos is framed within the bass line, allowing each song to move along in a way that can enjoyed.

Great listen, and really a nice fall album. Just a nice cozy jazz album

The more I listen to jazz the more I realize I really enjoy jazz. The music feels so full and everybody is a master of their craft. Excellent album to have on while at work. Added to playlist: Brilliant Corners

Enjoyed it -- if I get nothing else out of this album project, I will finish knowing that I need to listen to more jazz

Overall excellent. I generally prefer jazz that gives me a bigger melodic anchor to grab hold of but that doesn’t mean I didn’t find this wonderful. I need to look this up but I have a feeling we’re hearing something much closer to true improvisation as opposed to solos that are riffs over a plotted roadmap. Bemsha Swing is a fuckin banger. 4.5/5 stars

Classic jazz. Thelonious Monk can get pretty off the map during his solos and it's cool to listen to but I think it can get a little too out there at times. I love the rhythmic variations in the title track though, it felt very locked in when it changed. Max Roach holding it down as always.

Awesome jazz album

Pleasant but I just don't dig jazz

Don't feel like I know enough jazz to have a proper opinion, but was great background music.

Classic soundtrack for staring at the world.

Very good interesting jazz that's great to read to but the kind of album I doubt I'll go to often when on shuffle but will be likely to listen to again when the mood hits me

Good stuff, men ikke det aller aller beste. Tror plata vil vokse på meg!

Oh look, another jazz album both my husband and I can agree on.

Man I like jazz.

One of those inevitable albums, when talking about the foundation of modern jazz. I don’t quite have the same relation to Monk as I do Davis, Brubeck, Coltrane etc. But Brilliant Corners is nevertheless a regular spin at home.

late night cocktail vibes…get wasted and pass out in central park. you spirit leaves your body and floats into an ethereal inaccessible to mortals.

The thing I love about jazz is that I don’t understand it at all. I enjoy listening to it, but don’t know why like I would with other genres. Thelonious Monk is one of my go to jazz musicians if I want to hear some good jazz. He’s very good at establishing his moods and obviously the instrumentation is impeccable. The second track droned a tad and I would have preferred he cut it back a little and perhaps made another, more interesting, piece. My only critique. 4/5

Such a relaxing album made by one of the all time greats. Wonderful listen. 8/10

Jazz!

Parts of this are a challenge for me, but in the “I think I need to hear that again” way, not that I didn’t like it. But much of this is just amazing.

Good stuff

second track is one of my favourite jazz tunes, slightly dragged down by the last half of the album but is still a great listen.

Lovely melodies, engaging instrumentation, compact songs

Prefer Sonny Rollins as a solo artist, but still good

The first track absolutely kicks arse. That sax is menacing. I wish everything else was like that. Most of the rest of the album though while very good, is a lot more gentle swing, dinner party style jazz. I can't see me listening to that again. Ironically the last track entitled Bemsha Swing is actually much more freeform, and definitely more my bag. An album full of track 1 and 5 please!

Pretty good

Cool

This album is a bop and goes hard, some might even call it a… Hard bop.

so good! An instant connection with this one. I had never heard of this Thelonius Monk album, though I’ve played out others. This one was just a great listen during my morning. 4/5

If you like jazz, you should check out this album. If you are like me and don't like jazz, you should skip this album.

I thought I would find this boring, but I was wrong. It is full of fun, catchy melodies and just sounds like the musicians were all having a blast making it.

Amazing Jazz pianist; in particular the opening track throws you into chaos and resolves to a reliable relief of assonance and consistent rhythm. But not all tracks astound so much as the title track. This album is also notably held back by the recording quality of the day-- its very fuzzy and in some songs you can hear musicians humming or keeping the beat. Keeping in mind the day and age this was released and the target it was released for this is near perfect. It might have difficulty holding up to modern production standards.

Lively, angular. Just real pretty stuff. Favorite tracks: "Brilliant Corners", "Bemsha Swing"

Very solid jazz album, but I liked the one from yesterday more.

Damn, that was smooth.

Love how the songs were played on this one. There is so much life induced into every note on here, something I wish I saw more in Jazz. A great record.

C’est du bon jazz ça

Great jazz album. Listened to the whole thing and was satisfied!

Hello, and welcome to Jazz Club. Next up, Thelononius Monk with Scuba-dooba-dooba-bal-ue-surrender-panna-cotta-sandwich, with Sonny Rollins, Ernie Henry and Clark Terry. Also featuring Off Kilter chords and Sax that gatecrashed from a whole other song. Listen out for the smoky bass 10 minutes into Bolivar and get ready for those textured drum beats. Sensational. Let's listen again. Nice👌🏻

Really swings!

I've heard a few jazz albums in the list by now. I still don't feel smart enough to critique this or even necessarily explain why I liked it, but like it I certainly did. This was a pleasant jazz record that was like a warming whisky in a dimly lit bar. A very nice accompaniment to my evening. Favourite: Pannonica

Probably the best jazz album on this list so far

Hvar hefur þú verið allt mitt líf, Thelonious? Æðislegt stöff!

Highlight: Pannonica