Reviews (page 6 of 13)
Do you like Jazz? Cause if you don’t then you probably won’t enjoy this. I love a good bit of jazz and this just a gorgeous listen. It did get a bit background music at times but that’s probably cause I do most of my listening to these at work. Very nice!
Some nice jazz that I really enjoyed. It's mellow and has a nice beat. Not the experimental type jazz that is hard to tap your foot to. Seems like something good to put on when you are doing some kind of intellectual activity where you don't want vocals. Never heard this album before today but I will be listening to it again.
Oh, only 5 songs. Oh, these are long! Not a terrible listen, but I would never choose to listen to this.
Not my style, but it was a good experiencie. Probably my first jazz album listened.
I loved
JAZZ.
2.5 rym
1st and last track kinda slap but rest is shapeless jazz noide
Not keen on this. Too chaotic.
utter crap! don't waste one precious second on this. Listening plain irritated me and then progressed to full on anger and resentment towards this unsyncopated, unharmonious, cacophonous noise. i didn't complete the album, i simply had to make it stop. if i could rate less than a full star then i would. zero would be a fitting score.
Hate it already! Slight tune then discordant. Will listen to more . Actually can’t listen to it anymore. I love a bit of slow tuneful Jazz! But this makes my teeth itch and my Bowels cramp. 0/5
Raw talent here, but the jazz is a bit too aimless
I want to enjoy Thelonious more, but I just couldn't vibe with this one.
Álbum de Jazz muito legal e nem feito. Versekeys x Celest Ultra-Sense Planet.
nice jazz
no sé nada de jazz solo se que este es un albumazo y me gustó mucho
Not a fan of most jazz. I audibly groaned when I saw the album choice for today. It grates on my every nerve, even after living with a jazz musician for a few years and trying very hard to learn to like it. Still didn't take, and ultimately neither did the relationship. But I know objectively that they're brilliant musicians so I'm just going to give it a safe 3.
I liked it more the more attention I paid, which I sometimes find it hard to do with jazz.
Alright for background music but not something I’d want to listen to again
The album cover is sorta neat. I didn't connect with the music that much Edit Apr 15 2026: 2 --> 3. I like jazz more now
Another seminal jazz album which I am totally unable to appreciate due to my ignorance. I'm sure it's great if you know anything about making music. I don't, so all I can say is that this sounds pretty good at times but unless I change quite a lot I'm good not to listen to this again.
Some lovely instrumental, good vibes and nice melodies. 4 stars
Not my thing man
Супер класика. Чудовий приклад хард бопу. Мені менше за інші подобається Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, але вона насправді теж дуже гарна. Тому не бачу підстав ставити щось менше за 5 зірочок
Вперше я дізнався про Телоніуса Монка десь на першому курсі університету. Тоді модним був Муракамі, я багато його читав, а також починав занурюватись у джаз. Мені трапилась книга "джазові портрети" (звісно ж російською) і звідти я дізнався про багатьох класиків. На все життя запам'ятав як Муракамі описав там Монка - "він грає наче хтось розколює лід на маленькі шматочки" (цитата неточна, але суть така). І оці монківські акорди я відтоді уявляю саме так. А альбом шикарний.
це тупо пушка. соромно і визнавати, що я дізналася про цей альбом з тіктоків, але якщо щось і може врятувати сучасні меми, так це дуже крутий справжній джаз. я ніколи особливо не слухала джаз, бо завжди було складно зрозуміти з чого почати, але дуже полюбляю idm, і в цілому зараз я задумалась, що в них більше спільного, ніж може показатися. дуже душевна робота, треба буде послухати більше
Great compositions and improv, swing and groove throughout. Sonny Rollins brought the flamethrower
So much talent, and I'm just left cold. It's my fault, but I just don't like jazz.
Day Six: Thelonius Monk, _Brilliant Corners_ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Getting through the jazz records. Not qualified to speak on them. But I guess Monk was the second-best-selling jazz player of all time. And you know: good for him. That he was born as jazz was in its nascent phase and had his influences and his training (classical training that he eventually withdrew from, and playing in a high school he dropped out of, by this time knowing his path to playing the unorthodox and becoming his own style) knew what he wanted and pursued it. I like to think he had the edge and the talent and vision of, say, Dizzy Gillespie without the _put on a kind face and play for the people, get the job done and be upright and personable_ (he didn't, didn't have the time nor patience for the people or the press or the critics, had his style and his music and that was that) and the fire and fury of Miles Davis but was reticent. While neither suffered fools, Monk seemed to have his private _pride_ in a take-me-or-leave-me way... none of this _motherfucker! ain't a backstory to me: I'm just good!_ seething that Davis was known for. So flamboyant Miles Davis has some funny anecdotes to his life (breaking his legs because he crashed his Lamborghini so decisively) but Thelonius Monk is solely known for upholding a jazz man's mystique and proving his chops, if eventually also nbeing known for demanding and unstable ways. I assume the only doubters were outside of jazz circles and that every family member, friend, musician universally loved him even as his genius gave way to irascibility and madness. Again I'd say: imagine his charisma, bringing the talent together that he did, the records he sold and legendary shows he played and imagine the power he conveyed at his piano and in this way you maybe feel the full force of him even when you're listening to a 70-year-old record like Brilliant Corners.
Melodic, fun, smart. Just really well done all around. Making 45 minutes of not only enjoyable and engaging jazz is hard enough but some of these parts are pretty singable earworms. Love it. Title track is the highlight but the piano work on i surrender is probably the standout.
jazzy. 3/5
I did not use a private session for Spotify on this one. I have a hard time figuring out when is the best time to listen to classic jazz like this, I found driving around at night when it's raining works well; however there is no rain in the forecast and the sun sets around 9, so I can not experience in this album the way I think I really need to. This album is a lot more accessible than some other jazz classics.
на удивление с кайфом послушала альбом! длительность отличная, музыка зажигательная, все понравилось насколько мне может нравиться джаз)
Buen álbum de jazz. Sin ser mi género favorito, no lo he encontrado tan cargante como la mayoría.
First listen I didn't know what to make of this one, so I tried again the next day, and paid a little more attention. It's a little less smoothe than some of his contemporaries' great albums, like Miles Davis and Coltrane. But once it gets going it's on strong.
Excellent jazz album, good for studying.
7/10
Not a jazz conoisseur, but pleasing.
Loved it
An all around great album showing the range and depth of Monk’s work. Every track is interesting and unique in its own right. At times he takes the limelight and others he lets his fellow musicians cook. If someone asked where to start with jazz, this would be a great sequel to big band greats like Ellington.
Monk and Rollins know how to swing and groove in sync, though many of the extended improv journeys seem more for their own benefit than the listeners’.
I'd not heard this particular release. I found it quite enjoyable. Monk is a genius, though maybe I'm using that label excessively in these brief reviews. I suppose I feel obligated to talk about my opinion of the artist as a whole because I don't know if this will be the only Monk release out of the 1000 albums in this bunch. This is jazz in a nearly pure form. 'Bemsha Swing' is a standout.
Very messy jazz album that I didn’t really enjoy at all. Every songs had many parts that felt all over the place, out of rhythm. Not for me at all.
This one has some, but not all, of my favorites.
I wasn't in the mood for jazz
jebeno fenomenalan
Dziwne
I really appreciate jazz pianists. They make dissonance sound so pretty. Whenever I slam on a keyboard, it just sounds like shit. This is the kind of album best listened to between dusk and 3 AM with an adult beverage, preferably served up in a cold, but not icy, glass. It's a classy and cool album without being pretentious. (Although, it is jazz, so some people will assume it's pretentious on that fact alone.) It's pretty simple in its instrumentation, although the bells are a fun add on "Pannonica". But I honestly would have loved a little more variation. And other than my favorite song, none of the songs really ever felt great or stood out. Favorite Song(s): Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
Great jazz album
Niet mijn ding. Echt jazz
I'm neither impressed nor unimpressed. This album is true neutral. 3/5
I dug Ba-Lue, I Surrender Dear, and Bemsha Swing. I appreciate the skill and musicianship, but it felt like work to get through the tracks Brilliant Corners and Pannonica.. there's so much tenor sax and it gets pretty harsh to the ear, that the piano solos feel like a reprieve. Also Max Roach is a goat.
3,5
I remember being pretty impartial towards this album back when I first heard it. With Monk and Rollins being such legends in their own right, I was maybe expecting something more adventurous. And I think I felt that way with the first track this time around as well; it felt scattered, and with no solid motif to hold the whole thing together, I caught my mind drifting throughout, sort of like that first listen all those years back. Luckily, what followed with much better than I remembered. 'Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are' has that strong motif I was looking for, and the Thelonious-piano presence is undeniable. 'Pannonica' is a bit more somber in its presentation, especially with that almost ominous celesta intro - I love the way Monk's rainy chords backdrop the sax solo in that first half. And honestly, the Monk exclusive 'I Surrender, Dear' was just as good; there's so much drama behind his wayward playing here - the sound of confused heartbreak. A really fun Jazz album, one that I'm happy to have revisited. It has given me a newfound love and respect for this remarkable jazz pianist.
Not usually a jazz fan but this had some relaxing tunes
Was already on my list of albums to buy. Really good.
Good album, enjoyed it but i feel like i only enjoy jazz so much
I’m not a huge fan of jazz, but this was an enjoyable album to listen to
Great jazz.
Great little album
Very much not my genre, but I'm enjoying it. Pretty pushy. It feels unfair to call something so varied monotonous, but at the same time it feels so improvised and varied that it all flows back into itself and I cant really distinguish between the tracks.
Not my thing. Just a bit boring unfortunately. 1/5 stars.
Great jazz
Not huge into jazz with no lyrics
We get it you can play an instrument Songs added to/on playlist: 0 2/5
Not really my vibe, but good
Good disc 2 bad disc 1
Enjoyed this tremendously. I could see this being a five with more time listening. Brilliant.
Джаз - музыка толстых)
Loved the performances here - the piano stood out on this record. I feel like each track represents a different emotion or mood. Favourite Track(s): I Surrender, Dear, Bemsha Swing Least Favourite Track(s): Brilliant Corners
Really good album, I ended up listening to it twice back to back. While I did enjoy the album it was missing something, and I can’t pinpoint what it is, for me to give it top marks. Top Track - Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
A very nice, but short jazz album
Cool Cat with more cool cats.
I'm sure it's great, but I don't really do jazz.
Just not a big jazz guy
So glad that a few of the great jazz recordings made the list, like this classic by Monk. UT why not more? So many deserving artists and albums.
feels like every 30 albums or so we've gotta slide in another instrumental jazz record to keep the cool cats contented. they're fungible to me; commodities. at least they're easy to rate.
Some of the oddest melodies I've heard lately on the title track. The rithem that keeps changing during the solos for sure makes it super hard to improvise on. But overall there's something compelling about it all. Bouncy track 2, fantastic drums by Max Roach. Monk's piano style is so unique. It always seems like his solos shouldn't work but they work so well. He's shining on this track. Great solo from Rollins on the tenor sax as well. Track 3 Nice and weird melody followed by a beautiful solo from Rollins. What a master player he is. I'm not sure the piano/Celeste combo is the best idea, but it gives another interesting sound to the record.. I think it's my favorite on this one so far. 4 is a great solo piano track that I liked a lot. Monk is a legend for a good reason. His piano style is futuristic and free yet very grounded in gospel, which gives it such a prestige sound. Track five is smooth and kind of classic. A decent closer for the record. Once again, Roach and sonny Rollins- amazing players. A very nice interesting record. Was a good listen overall yet not remarkable.
i'm not a huge classic jazz guy but i imagined being a bachelor in 1957 and putting this on as i sat down to read before getting ready to go out and holler at the broads at the juke joint and it truly made me feel something
idk what i was expecting when i opened this album... i was laughing cause the name made me think of the meme of black pet owners naming their pets insane names and thelonious is up there! anyway i love a jazzy moment so it was nice! not the best but nice!
Our second pure jazz album, first was Mingus. At least Mingus stirred some emotion, this didn’t really do anything.
Ikke brilliant, men absolutt lyttbart.
Dope
I did not enjoy this.
I never know what to listen for in instrumental music, so most jazz ends up being a fairly pleasant 45 minutes that leaves me with nothing to say. Unfortunately, this one is no exception, though maybe it's slightly better than the overall output of the Brilliant Corners, an 80s indiepop band who got their name from it?
Lets just meander, OK? Talented musicians, but it felt like a jam session that never found a point. Not unlistenable, just department store background music vibes. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Brilliant Corners
Good nice jazz
🌀 Rating: 5.0 / 5 📀 Short Review: Brilliant Corners is jazz with sharp elbows—composed like a maze, performed like a séance. It’s not for everyone… it’s for people who lean into the dissonance and come out glowing. 💣 Favorite Track: “Brilliant Corners” This song is so complex they had to splice together different takes to make it playable. It’s basically a Rubik’s cube set to swing.
It is always great when an artist is "allowed" to include his own compositions. Brilliant Corners is one such album and the title track doesn't disappoint with a variety of themes and solos that allow Sonny and others to shine.
Alright so i know almost nothing about jazz so take whatever I say from here on out with a grain or two of salt. But I liked this very much. Its so fascinating to hear some of the best players in the world basically write a song on the fly. I know you start with some standard and build up from that foundation but I dont know the standards so it might as well be from scratch. They just go on runs that feel like they were practiced and rehearsed but its not. Some smart people for sure. Monk plays the keys so artfully and the others who I dont know sorry play their instruments with just as much skill. My favorite part is whatever mallet instrument, that I'll just call a xylophone even though it might not be, on pannonica are incredible. It tickles me to no end. What a great part. And everything else just flows well start to finish. I may know nothing but im happy all the same.
This classic jazz album falls neatly into what is known as Hard Bop, which I believe is a more technical take on Bebop, with longer and more complex solos. Monk is one of the greats of jazz piano and this is his most famous record, and for good reason. Great tunes and peerless musicianship. This list could have used even more jazz classics such as this one. Key tracks: Brilliant Corners Bemsha Swing
Helt kurant. Som vanlig noen gode og noen litt tamme. Bosch-scenery.
Nice
Fucking jazz, brother. Hell yeah
Not a fan of pure jazz apparently, though I like a lot of jazz rooted things
Wonderful and pretentious jazz
I’m just not that into jazz. 3.5 stars
Buttery
classic
This was great especially that last track
It’s fine but I got bored by the end
Beautiful, Timeless, relaxing, I have no better words. 9/10.
A good roundup of monk.
Beautiful ensemble playing. Clever tunes and rhythms.
Respect for the album and artist. But not something I’d really listen to.
Monk and Rollins I mean iconic duo. Bemsha Swing is one of all time faves and this arrangement in its early form is powerful 4/5
Джазът записван 50те е много добър
Not a Jazz fan normally, but this might have convinced me to listen to more jazz. Beautiful sound and music that just captivated.
nice arrangements but not my style
Nice music I guess but really not my style. Got bored after the first song. But it was a pleasant boring
I have previously found Monks stuff a bit heavy going, I am a jazz listener, also a bit impenetrable at times, but this is actually quite listenable. I will play again in the future I’m sure.
4.5 rounded up always challenging for me to pick favorites from instrumental records, especially when the tracks are longer.. this whole thing is simply exquisite highlights: ba-lue bolivar ba-lues-are, pannonica (feb 12 2026)
Probably best with a cigarette and pensiveness.
It was okay I’m just not a big jazz head
Mostly just jazz that I cannot distinguish from other jazz but I thought that it was nice
Jazz
Had to remind myself of this a little for the review as I hadn’t written any notes. I think this strays more into the kind of jazz I struggle with. The musicality is top quality but to listen to as a standalone exercise it’s not necessarily my bag. My favourite sections are probably when the sax and other instruments are involved but given the style that can then get a bit chaotic, like each instrument is fighting to break through.
I personally don't think this gave me a clear emotional wow factor. There are sections that are technically brilliant, and the Piano / drums in particular seems to be being used to excellent effect. There are times (more often than not) that this seems more of a Jam session which to me means I lose the depth of the album and its wider connection to a theme or feeling. It's a bit like break dancing. They skat about on their heads and we are in awe of their moves and skill. However, after the 100th spin, twist and flip it just becomes a repeating theme. Just doesn't quite hit the mark for me despite its clear musical genius.
Another interesting jazz album where I fully appreciate the musical merit whilst also finding no visceral connection at all. I listened to this on a long car journey and it swiftly demoted itself to pleasant background music, I'm afraid.
Another solid jazz album discovered through this list. The saxophones were unreal, defo one to come back to.
Excellent musicianship! Really enjoyed. Will be returning.
Real Jazz. Sonny Rollins on sax - so good. Deep but also relaxing. So atmospheric.
probably need to listen in a focused way, maybe even with headphones to get fully try and appreciate it. Some nice melodies but I had it on while I was doing other things and it faded into the back ground 2 plays through.......
Enjoyable, but didn’t fully grab me. Will try returning to it.
There are several band who whilst falling under the Prog rock banner, describe themselves as jazz fusion. Because of that I have for a while now said that I was OK with jazz. I can now officially say that I am not ok with jazz. The number of albums I have been subjected to on this journey is just too many. It's not completely unpleasant, but for me his album has no musical worth. 1
Tom and Jerry soundtrack.
The problem i have is that I'm now too historically and culturally distant from this sort of music to fully appreciate it. I did try in my 20's but I never stuck with it. That's not the music's problem, but mine. It was pleasant enough to listen to. But with the tracks being about 10 minutes long, my concentration kept wandering, then it would return a minute or so later, and I'd be back wondering if I'd actually missed anything.
I do not know what genre of jazz this is, but it is not for me. The 1 star is not based off musical skill, they are clearly massively talented. There's nothing for me to latch on to. Each song has some what of a motif or melody that does repeat but it's surrounded by chaotic noodling from each instrument. I can see how this would appeal to a fan of the genre, that's not me.
Kul lyssning. Hundra procent bakgrundsmusik men mysig bakgrundsmusik. Känns som klichébilden av jazzskiva men just därför funkar. Det lite skeva i ljudbild och kvalitet hjälper till. Nostalgi-bait men bra sån. Vill höra igen: Ja Bästa spår: d - Pannonica D2 - Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are Betyg: D - 7 av 10 / 4 av 5 D2 6 av 10 / 3 av 5
I was expecting to like this more, but it's still pretty good.
Faded to the background - hadn’t realised it had finished.
I love 50's music, and I do enjoy some jazzy songs (usually with singing) This though I just could not get into! Parts of it sounded grating to me. Piano chords that were just slightly off for example. Made me uncomfortable Some singing over this might have detracted me from the unpleasant noises. But it was a pain to sit and listen to just the music Sadly there was nothing brilliant found in any corner of this album 2 ⭐️
I listened to this like three times but it still just sounded like elevator music to me, well composed elevator music, but still, guess it's not my genre.
This is the background music for a weird and boring dinner party I hope I'm never invited to.
Love it. Jazz. Those tiny dissonances in “Pannonica” with those twinkly things (technical term, of course) giving the album an extra twist. The piano dialogue on “I Surrender, Dear.” One of those albums I’ll definitely spin again.
Like a classy restaurant soundtrack
Nice 1957 early Monk album with Sonny Rollins
Close call on this -- kind of a classic 4.5-star album for me -- but rounding up for the awesome bass lines.
Some songs take a minute to get going, but overall solid
Not the most groundbreaking jazz to my ears, but sounded good.
Avantgarde/free jazz med en smule bebop indeover som Monk var med til at skabe fun fact. Fyldt med mærkelige takter og selv de bedste jazz musikere havde svært ved at følge med hvad monk ønskede sig i numrene. Intronumret fra rigtig rigtig svært at indspille og måtte ændres samtlige gange.
Just like all jazz, it's not horrible, but it's also not something I'd grab to listen to. As someone else said, this is music that entertains the people playing it more than the listener.
I’m not qualified to differentiate between good and bad jazz, but I liked this.
5/10 J A Z Z
This was new to me - and pretty cool.
Easy listening ain't that easy to listen to for 45 minutes straight. It was relaxing, but not something I want to revisit anytime soon. Favorite Track: "Bemsha Swing".
I really enjoyed this, might be dipping my toe into jazz a little more after finding some like this that doesn’t make me feel like I have vertigo. Nice easy pleasant.
Won't be listening to that again. Shite.
Music which reminds me of what is being played as bacground music in a restaurant where they expect people to want to talk. It does not bother me, but I would never put on this at home when just listening to music. Not my cup of tea.
Classic jazz sound, nice listen, great players interesting songs
The piano is off just enough that you don't know where it's going next, but not so much that it sounds like there's no skill involved. This is definitely what future jazz albums and composers looked to for inspiration and to see how playing with time signatures can lead to impressive works.
Nice.
Rating: 5/10 Meh.
Okay I kinda like jazz
Best song: Bemsha Swing Dislike song: Brilliant Corners Rate: 2,75⭐️
This is an album I’ve listened to before, and enjoy working to. My knowledge about jazz is pretty limited and I wish I had more historical or technical knowledge about this (I should really go back and finish Ken Burns’ Jazz). The piano on the opening track is interesting, like he’s hitting the wrong keys. But this record doesn’t have the abrasive edge of the Charles Mingus album we recently listened to (that I love). After the first couple tracks it settles into a more romantic mood. I would love to sit in a dark restaurant or bar listening to Pannonica.
That was pure Jazz. Great piano. Great Sax. Great drums. Went by in a bit of a warm blur. Sorta reminded me of the peanuts soundtrack in a good way. This album probably was an influence on the Vince Guaraldi trio (side note: Guaraldi had an incredible moustache and only paid the other 2 musicians $50-ish for their work on those iconic tracks. Great moustache... bad dude. I hope Thelonious Monk paid all the players on this album.).Anyways... i need more time with this to have more to say about it. I did enjoy it. But I can't give a specific reason why. I think i need to put together a playlist of all these great jazz records i've listened to as part of this challenge and revisit them later on when I have more time to dig into them. 3 stars.
Cruisy jazz album, need to revisit
I'm not a huge jazz guy, but there are a few artists that I know I enjoy. Reinhardt, Parker, Mingus. Glad to add Monk to that list. You don't have to listen super hard and try to understand all the complicated things he is doing. Just leave it playing and enjoy the vibes. Try not to think too much, he is doing the thinking for you.
This is a great album!
Excellent jazz record, I loved their funkier version of jazz, they sound excellent together and it's a pretty tight album. Monk's compositions are excellent, his piano performances are unique and very good too. Sonny Rollins is such a good sax player he steals the show a couple of times. The bass and drums are just right, they sound super tight and groovy. The album overall is super consistent and a nice listen, wasn't boring at any moment. "Brilliant Corners" and "Bimsha Swing" were my favourite tracks, but "I Surrender, Dear" is also superb.
In all honesty, I really don’t have too much to say about this album. I wasn’t a huge fan of it. I didn’t feel like I heard anything that I would latch onto or remember the next day. Heck, I don’t even have anything funny to say about it! That’s how little of an impression it left on me!. But, I can still say that Monk is a great pianist, and his band at least tried to put something good together. I’ll just say it wasn’t really my taste. I’m giving it a two, but I’ll say a high 2 because the musicianship is good. Maybe I’ll like the nexts jazz album I get. Edit: After thinking it over, I’ll give it a three, Thelonius don’t deserve a 2
My depressed teenage self would’ve loved this album
This is the sort of Jazz that I cannot stand. It's just seems to be random notes as far as I'm concerned.
1. Bemsha Swing 2. Pannonica 3. I Surrender, Dear
TRUE....... i enjoyed it! the only song i didnt feel much for was bemsha swing. stuck between a 3 and 4 for me.
Enjoyable in parts. Monk was an inspiration to many jazz musicians who I like but sometimes his arrangements are a little bit showy and over complex
Delightful stuff - great tunes, players - inimitable piano (& celeste!).
another Jazz album. I dont mind Jazz, but it cannot differentiate one album from the other. Bau-lue bolivar was good with some deep rich bass tones, but the rest was fine but nothing whelming me. some pretty average corners if you ask me. 3 stars
p32. 1957. 1 star. Just because someone is technically proficient does not mean they produce good music. It's jazz, its tedious, and it's got a xylophone FFS. Hard pass from me.
I like Monk, but for some reason, he's not a "go-to" jazz figure for me. This album has me thinking maybe I should change that.
I was having a shitty enough day and then this stupid fucking website made me listen to jazz. Unlistenable and insufferable garbage. Damn near threw my computer out the window.
I’m a fan of all things Monk so this is not a subjective review. 9/10
Good stuff.
Jazz, the sophisticated LoFi
Solid jazz album.
first time hearing thelonious, great intimate sounding jazz. first and last tracks are defs standouts
Интересная музыка для фона, буду слушать ещё. 6 из 10.
Not really my cup of tea, but ok.
A smooth record
I already know I love this record. I’ve always been attracted to Bemsha Swing. It starts with that great dissonant intro of Brilliant Corners and drags me in. It’s not quite a perfect album because it doesn’t hold my attention the whole time, but I really like it.
Monk really has his own style, it's like blues-jazz that's been played a bit sloppy or ever wrongly. Other players solo sections seem more traditional jazz. Unfortunately 50's recording equipment couldn't capture all the details and recording seems a bit harsh for me. It's good, but not my favorite jazz albums.
Well, what to do with this one. It's a five star rating, that's clear. It's a brilliant album, no pun intended. But I think it's really an odd one on this list. Together with Charles Mingus this is probably the only hardcore jazz album on the list. Apart from some jazzrock-albums, most jazz albums are of the rather listenable kind. Thelonious Monk isn't listenable. It's all about dissonance and bizarre complex song structures. You need to be a trained jazz amateur to enjoy this, I think. And even then... But man, listen to his solo performance 'I surrender,dear'. To me that's the highlight of this album. There is a reason that one of most popular releases was a compilation of his solo performances. He is so brilliant. He seems to master the basics material a straightforward standard, that he can do with it whatever he likes. The melody is never stated, he picks it up, turns it around, destroys it and at the same time embraces it in the most loving way, he's out of this world. It's exceptional. Another gem is the strange Pannonica with the odd celesta played by Monk. Well, it's on the list, so a well deserved five star rating. But in fact I think it should be on another list.
Sorry I just find jazz boring
Enjoyed this. Fusion of styles and jazz styles I thought sounded great on this. One for the jazz heads
♫ Listening to "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" by Thelonious Monk (Brilliant Corners (Remastered), 1957) ♫
Free jazz by one of its finest
Some jazzy jazz
3.5
One of my fave jazz records. 4.5, but will round down to 4 on site.
I'm actually going to raise my review just a smidge to give it a full four. I'm warming up to it a little bit. Still the stand out track to me is still "Bemsha Swing", but I was really diggin' "Ba-Leu Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" this time around. Still the title track and "Pannonica" were still a bit difficult for me to totally get, but just like last time, I at least respect them quite a bit (8.1) ★★★★
Brilliant stuff! 5 stars
3.5
Decent Corners. Some nice angular, dextrous, distinctive piano runs plus the odd good jazz tune but the horns, brass or whatever are more often than not a bit pharpy and annoying.
It’s ok. Not really my preference of Jazz.
Buen album de jazz, pero ya es de 1957
”That fat-fingered fuck Thelonious really can’t play, can he?” - me ”He is a unique genious doing his thing with incredible complexity and dexterity” - people who actually know something about jazz
- sehr entspannte Jazz Platte, derbe moody, klingt für meine Ohren toll produziert und ingesamt einfach stimmig
I liked it. I wish I was more into jazz than I am. Most of this just faded into the background, but it’s plenty enjoyable. You’ll probably like it way more if you’re smarter than me
Hate Jazz like a cat on a piano and parping
Not quite my jam, I think I like something a more structured. Interesting listen though.
I know he was good but idk how to tell good jazz from bad jazz. I was tapping my foot a lot. Would enjoy listening while drinking a martini in in a dark bar/club
Cool jazz, I think. Hard to tell, but hey that’s jazz
This is a weird one because it bounces back and forth between great dinner jazz (Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba Lues-Are, Bemsha Swing) and weird, slightly "sour" experimental stuff ( Brilliant Corners, Pannonica). And I both like and dislike the experimental stuff. Feel like I'm gonna settle on a 3, but its an interesting record.
Annoyingly experimental and slow Jazz, which feels like they are constantly warming.
Yes, this is a jazz album. So very jazzy, thanks.
I'll take Monk over (more than?) half of this list.
Its jazz. Its old jazz. But the lyrics were good.
Delightful listen to it on the bike ride to work at work and from work
Incredible
Ei ihan mun juttu
I think I'm a bigger fan of the slower tracks; it's really good but I feel as if I don't understand jazz very well. Would like this on vinyl to continue listening though. Pannonica is my jam.
Brilliant. Always love some Monk time!
Would have voted 0 stars if it was possible
I like some 50's Monk. This has Sonny Rollins of Rollins Band, I believe... I'm a liar, don't listen to me. Monk is the embodiment of jazz on the piano. He's all over the place, but it works. These guys play well together. I like some of his later stuff better, like Monk's Dream and Monk., but this is a good one. A nice loungy jam session. I like this music, so it gets a 4.
I've never been super into this kind of jazz, but the longer I listen to it the more I could tap into it and enjoy it. No doubt about the talent and skill it requires to pull off. 3.5
I liked this a LOT. Nothing I didn't like about it honestly. Perfect jazz album.
May need to circle back to this one!
Jazz, not my thing, men lite chill. Kan förstå att det är bra.
Not my favorite Thelonious Monk album, but still a solid jazz classic.
Very cool. Monk had such a unique sense of melody. I love the smoky dark room vibes of “Pannonica.” Must-listen #162.
I know. He’s a legend. I think. And I’m grateful to this project for presenting this album for me to listen to because I absolutely would never have done so otherwise. But. But. It. Is. Jazz.
4/5
What an absolute delight of an album. Not so wild that it seems grating but never so calm that you lose interest. Put me in a wonderful mood to the point that I might listen to this (or something similar) every morning. Fantastic from start to finish. Wish I could give it a million stars!
A little too unstructured for my taste.
You like jazz? Meh, I prefer my jazz with some lyrics
Very very good jazz record. I enjoyed this alot. Normally I am somewhat hesitant with sax jazz, but this was great. This may make it to my regular jazz rotation
Jazz really isn’t my thing
I realized while listening to this that jazz is the original stoner music! Half joking, Jazz has a transformative quality that takes the listener to places and guides them through a journey of the band leader’s design. Thelonious Monk was frequently talked about in high school jazz band for his syncopation, which I am not sure Mr. Stevens did a great job explaining. As such, I can only judge this album on feeling, which Thelonious had plenty of. Key song for me was Ba-Lue-Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, especially the bass solo and the drum solo, which you can hear the influence in the later recordings like Ginger Baker’s Toad. And of course, no jazz album is complete without a kick in’ Xylophone solo, provided by Pannonica. There is talent in this album I will never understand, but definitely respect and appreciate.
Random thoughts: * pleasant listen on my commute home. Definitely chilled me out despite the Denver traffic. * I’d heard of Thelonious Monk before but never listened knowingly before. This was some good classic jazz. * I’d definitely throw this on again some night for a chill night. * I’m not sure this is up there with Brubek or Miles Davis but it is good. Might take some time to grow on me.
I just don’t get jazz. I’m sure there’s some great musicianship on show here, but I can’t really tell. I also can’t get Garfield or any other 70s/80s cartoon out of my minds eye when listening to this genre. I now fancy some lasagne!
Very solid album, but not my favorite type of jazz. It all sounds good, just gets a little repetitive in an album format. High 3.
No expertise on Jazz, no understanding of what is innovative or musically why it is what it is, have a small jazz collection of jazz very much based on what simply sounds good to me, think have Monks genius of modern music vol 1, not heard this before but yeah sounds good. 3 Star
Very jazzy. We aren't usually the greatest fans of jazz, but we really enjoyed this one. Makes you want to move.
4.6
3/5 generic jazz
Perfecto
good jazz type music
really smooth and upbeat jazz music. i didn't know what hard bop was until tonight... it's a subgenre of bebop jazz that takes influence from rhythm and blues that's noted for its faster pacing and animated solos. i like jazz! i really really do. this album is great. however, this album, like many other albums doesn't stick out to me. it's very nice to listen to, i like the sort of swingin' jazz sound that sounds like everyone's bouncing along to the hits of the tom-toms, and the long tracks really showcase just how creative these solos can go. but alas... it's missing the spark that makes me obsessed. it's a shame, because again. i found this album pleasant to listen to. one song is vocal and there's a few piano focus tracks... really there's just a few other jazz albums that blend into this one i think.
This is one that I'm gonna have to spend more time with. I can listen to this and very plainly see that Brilliant Corners is full of extremely intricate, emotive jazz compositions, and I can understand that Monk is considered among the greatest jazz composers/musicians ever for a damn good reason. Just listen to the title track for everything great about this in a nutshell: it's really a staggering song. However, I regret to say that I have yet to really digest and connect to these songs, but I can definitely appreciate what I'm hearing on some level. I'm gonna give this a healthy 4, because I really can't imagine giving it anything lower.
not into jazz enough to know how to correct rate it. but i did enjoy this quite a bit. will be revisiting alot
Not my style but a decent listen.
Been getting more into jazz as of late, so this was a fun, perfectly timed treat. I loved it.
6/10
I'm sure it's brilliant music, but it is not for me.
++: Brilliant Corners, Pannonica, I Surrender, Dear, Bemsha Swing +: Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are 9,4/10
jazz place holder
Não é um estilo de música que me agrada. Ótimo pra deixar como música de fundo.
Listened while driving, probably better for lying about in the sun or relaxing in the evening
Great music to code to. Love this vibe/instrument combination.
Good.
Very pleasant and set a good vibe, but I'm not a big enough jazz fan to find it particularly notable. Favorite song: Brilliant Corners
I know I'm not a jazz aficionado, but this just made me think of Will Ferrell scatting as Robert Goulet ("BOP BOP doo doo doo doo...GOULET!"). Really hard to get into this one. 1.8
Überfordert mich komplett - obwohl bestimmt technisch meistervoll
Brilliant stuff really, I still feel like I have to learn more abour jazz compsitions and what they do to really get into this one more, but in the two times I have listened to it its been a great time I think. Monk never disappoints imo
Light and refreshing! Awesome musicians all!
Yeah idk I like Jazz but this wasn't it. It did some interesting things but honestly the parts I liked most were the most basic parts and that was disappointing. Hoping we get some more redeeming Jazz albums as the list goes on. Hoping we get some Doolittle by the Pixes soon bc im in dire need of a 5/5. Favourites - Pannonica, I Surrender, Dear
I’m sure in some dingy, smokey club in the 50s in America with 2 fingers of whisky, this shit would slot in perfectly. Impressive performances, as is standard from the genre, but this album is exactly the kind of aimless, meandering wankery that puts the vast majority of people off Jazz in general, myself unfortunately included. It is, at best, background music, and just in no way the kind of thing I’d ever actually want to sit and actively listen to. Brilliant Corners (3/10) Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lure-Are (3/10) Pannonica (4/10) I Surrender, Dear (2/10) Bemsha Swing (3/10) 3/10
Another decent jazz album - I'm actually starting to look forward to anything in this genre. Ouch, my knees!
This seemed like a simpler jazz record to enjoy. Was bluesy, catchy just straight up enjoyable. Outstanding musicianship. I liked this a lot. Fun to listen to.
I do indeed fear the jazz!
Норм джаз, хотя иногда слишком мудрёный
Not a fan 3/5
Good background/chill
That’s good listening. Sometimes I think jazz songs can lose the plot. Not the case here
Thelonious Monk has to be the most distinctive musician we've had since they started recording music. The notes sound incorrect but it just works. He's just as impressive for what he doesn't play as for what he does. Solo Monk on I Surrender Dear has to be one of the loneliest sounds out there. It's not a warm, comforting solitude like Bill Evans or Marty Robbins yodeling his cowboy songs, this is the solitude of the guy you ignore asking for money at the exit on the highway.
Simple, complex, the music seems to flow rather than have composition, but there's not a single honk, hat tap, or key strike out of place
not sure to completely get this kind of music but i can recognize it's good
Gjennomgående lavt tempo og til tider tungrock-tungt. Veldig spennende album fra en veldig spennende tid i jazz-historien.
It kind of sounds like they are hitting wrong piano notes but it somehow still sounds ok
Not for me but I understand it’s jazz pedigree
Ich weiß, dass ich Jazz nicht verstehe, aber das war einfach langweilig und ich fand es nervig.
Not my fave either, every piece is played beautifully but it didn’t give me the same feelings of nostalgia.
Not for me. Doesn't make me feel anything and is very slow. Not sure jazz is my cup of tea.
This was super relaxing to listen to, with a few parts that excite everything. Great jazz album
Peaceful but disquieting. Monk plays with a stuttering skittish rhythm, pausing unexpectedly, tripping and catching up, emphasizing beats you weren't ready for and holding a rest a beat longer than usual. This is all most evident on the solo piece 'I Surrender, Dear' where it's him and the piano and he's free to riff without a bass/drum waiting on him trying to keep time. The blues and swing pieces are classic hard bop, warm and lively with hints of dissonance from the piano shading the tone and pushing new harmonic interpretations of the melodies.
10/10. One of the coolest albums of all time.
Brilliant corners. Sadly, what lies within them is unlistenable shit. I set out with an open mind, but this project is really starting to turn me against jazz... One of the keys on that piano is definitely a bit out as well!
Awful. Close to an hour of mindless, rambling instruments playing over each other. Not for me.
It's good but didn't feel like it
2nd album from generator. It was a good listen while riding my mountain bike. Jazz is all over the place for me, but it's interesting sometimes. Maybe it's growing on me?
I think I can appreciate that this is "good", but I can't say I had a good time listening to it. I need my jazz with boundaries, dang it!
So... Ya like Jazz? Thelonius Monk's Brilliant Corners is the first Jazz album I have been served. I liked it! The whole thing felt like tumbling down a flight of stairs, bumping and running into things along the way. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this again, but I appreciate it for what it is.
Laid back relaxing effortless cool from one of the masters of jazz. As with most Jazz it would benefit from hearing it in the confines of a club but soothing nonetheless.
This was better than the last jazz offering thrown my way by this generator… but only just.
I keep wondering if one day I'll wake up and have suddenly gained an appreciation of jazz. It's not happened yet. At one point during Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, the drums reminded me of roadworks. I did not hate this like I hated Bill Evans, but I can't say I particularly enjoyed it either. Once again, I'm bemoaning the lack of half stars. 2/5
# 493 : Brilliant Corners : 02/06/2025 MORE BORING JAZZ! I honestly can't say anything bad about it, except it seemed more like they are constantly warming up and I spent the whole album waiting for them to start playing something. Whatever I was doing while I was listening to this album was more enjoyable than this.
I mean, of course you have to have Thelonious Monk on this list. Jazz isn’t really my thing, but this was enjoyable and made great background music while I read. I’d give this 3.5 stars if I could because a 3 feels too low for this album, but I won’t listen to it enough to justify a 4. I’m rounding down, but it’s a high 3 for me and an album that definitely deserves to be on the list.
I don’t think jazz is for me.
Interessante, magari non è il mio genere preferito, ma mi piace molto.
Leuk om jazz te leren kennen.
i love this kind of jazz. It's entrancing. it's relaxing. it's telling a story and it's beautiful. Could listen to this all day
Not my kind of music, but of course interesting.
This is cool jazz - not smooth and never simple, not easy listening. I was in the mood for a challenge with this one and it delivered. Never going to be the biggest jazz fan but got my foot tapping and jazz hands flapping for this.
I just don't get jazz.
Meh
Just good vibes the whole time. 4 stars
crazy name
Listening notes: - Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are is giving Cruella de Vil (edit: Mel Leven paid homage to Monk with the Cruella song for the Disney film) - Sonny Rollins is IN FORM - Pannonica is where the swing really comes and gets ya. - I'd say that hard bop is better with Monk on the keys.
Really enjoyed it! Some jazz can feel too disjointed for me and this was great. Cohesive but still jazzy. Made me feel like I was more cultured for having listened to it