Brilliant Corners

Not something I’d bump in my car, but was a nice sounding album.

The jazz was alright - didn’t hit me as much as others

Not a big jazz fan. But always okay with putting Monk on.

Some of this is objectively pretty neat. But I just can’t bring myself to care about it all that much.

Mais um álbum de jazz e mais um daqueles que sabe sempre bem ouvir.

Although nothing particularly stands out, this is still a good jazz album. He has some unconventional form and structure, which to my limited jazz knowledge, is one of the things he was known for. This early release shows the importance and influence of that.

Ik vond het leuk om naar te luisteren, maar het sprong er niet echt uit. Het werkte voor mij vooral als achtergrondmuziek en pakte me minder. In mijn autoplay volgde hier Miles Davis op, wat voelde als een warm bad dat contrast maakte duidelijk waar mijn voorkeur ligt. Ik snap dat jazz mag schuren en experimenteren, en dat hoor je hier ook terug. Hij zoekt bewust de randen op van vorm en timing. Ik denk dat ik nog niet genoeg jazz-ervaring heb om alles wat dit album te bieden heeft volledig te waarderen, maar ik hoor wel dat het inhoudelijk sterk is.

nice

Not a big fan of this album, but glad to have tried it.

omg this type of music just reminds me of the 60 sooo bad sooo cool i wish i could have lived in that time!!

There are these atonal choices that I enjoy in all of the songs. I do remember being into a lot of jazz as a younger lad, but my tastes shifted more away from it as I got older. Still a great time.

It’s ok. It’s jazz.

It was good, but I wish I had more musical knowledge to appreciate why. The opening track has some fun shifting tempos, and Paul Chambers' bass playing always stands out. I think I need more exposure and understanding of jazz to really understand this album.

i wish i could love jazz

I hesitate to weigh in on any jazz, knowing too little of the complexities, but I do know what I like, and I like this. Inventive, exploratory, unexpectatious, cool as cool can be.

I did enjoy this, though I was never lifted to reverie or able to get beyond trying to parse what the players were doing or intellectualizing the changes in time signatures. Its likely better than a 3, I'm just slow on the uptake when it comes to jazz.

I love Monk. He was my gateway drug to jazz. But everyone can't play with him, and that's true here. It's kind of crazy how much I disliked Sonny Rollins and Max Roach on here. Normally, they're fantastic, but it's like they don't understand the assignment. I get it. I wouldn't know how to play with Monk, either. I hope people aren't turned off of Monk based on this album. Check out a compilation, or check out the live album he did with Coltrane. He would often re-work his compositions, and you can find better versions of the first and last tracks on here. The solo track was gold, though.

I didn’t hate it, but it’s not something I would have chosen for myself.

Excellent brass and sax but not one gor a second listen

No es mi estilo pero bienn

Has it on in the background, sounded good

This is around the time jazz gets interesting to me. Always happy to hear a record I haven't before!

Funky

Very good, nice smooth jazz. Relaxing to listen to and added a few to my chill playlist but probably not planning to listen to the album all that much.

Solid jazz album just not really my cup of tea.

Jazz

A nice Jazz album.

I don’t feel qualified to judge a jazz album. This was enjoyable, but not something I would typically put on. 6/10 Pretty Good

I can’t say I usually listen to jazz but I always start from a position of wanting to like it. Today’s listen started with good intentions but as the album drew on, it faded to background music, but it was a pleasant enough listen. Where I was more engaged early on, I probably appreciated it more, particularly the drum solo on the opening track, Bright Corners. A more focused listen would no doubt unlock more enjoyment here but it’s finding the right moment - maybe late night with a whiskey?

It’s was a good jazz album. Not exactly brilliant but pretty good

I appreciate Thelonious Monk and I appreciate this style of music. But I guess I prefer more modern jazz fusion than its roots. With this album in particular, I found myself tuning out, doing other things while it played on in the background. And since I was listening on YTMusic, it went on to something related after it finished, and I could not tell the difference whether it was the same album or not.

This is ok. I like Jazz but this was hard to know when the song started and when it finished. I envy how good technically it is, but I think I didn't get the hype. Itbis good as background music for a fun breakfast, though.

Not big into jazz, I don’t think I have the ear for truly understanding why this is particularly great or unique jazz. However I did very much enjoy listening to it.

Took a while for me to get into this but a second listen helped. Didn’t particularly rate the sax in it but the drums and other accompanying rhythm section were great.

Some good moments throughout the record, but felt too long overall, and at time somewhat disconnected

THELONIOUS MONK MY BEST FRIEND THELONIOUS MONK I have 'genius of modern music' on record and I literally listen to it all the time. guy does things to a piano........ my favorite song on here is the titular Brilliant Corners but I also love specifically the back half of Bemsha Swing, too. Listened to it on a bus and accidentally zoned out during Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are and when I zoned back in we were maybe about halfway through Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are. Love that. Overall: I love Mr. Monk! Makes me wish I kept jazz piano up. Oh, well. There's always time............. Late addendum: learned today you can see other people's reviews on here. Which is very silly--this is my personal diary lol. Apparently people who don't like freeform jazz don't like freeform jazz! Who would have thought!

This is as high as I would ever rate a jazz album. I had so much fun listening to it but don’t know enough about jazz to elaborate.

trevligt

We've got to put some respect on his name for Brilliant Corners as well as many other recordings in his career, and yet I've never been drawn to Thelonious Monk's music like other giants of jazz. I'm definitely not giving the record the focus it deserves when I put it on and set the volume to background music levels. There certainly are moments, corners perhaps?, where I'm drawn in and captivated but there are also long stretches where I'm less attentive. It's almost as if Brilliant Corners is a test of how we do or don't listen to music these days — or it's a test of what the artist has given our ears to begin with.

As far as jazz goes, I didn't enjoy this one as much as others we've had. I dunno it just really felt like it dragged on in parts. Overall I don't think I know enough about jazz to really have an educated opinion about this.

normally I enjoy jazz but this one never grabbed my attention. was fine as background.

3.5 stars I’m not sure where I go from liking jazz to enjoying it to thinking it’s great. This was good. I like it and will return to it. But I couldn’t tell you why I’d rate this I just went with my gut.

It was ok

Was gonna give this a 2 because I did like a few moments in the first 2 songs, but then the last 2 bumped it up to a 3

Yeah this is OK. I'm not sure about the duff notes being deliberate and they're certainly not good to listen to. All other playing is pretty superb. I like the song that sounds like Cruella De Ville

Layered and solid vibes.

Liked it more than some of the jazz I’ve heard, but I’m still struggling to appreciate the genre as a whole.

A jazz standard, I am not a big jazz fan, but i could have this in the background without issue. pleasant.

Listening session: february 2nd, while commuting to internship Listened to before: no Thoughts: I’m giving this 3 stars because I can appreciate the musicality, but I would’nt put this on myself Favourite track: I Surrender, Dear

This was pretty accessible to a non-jazz fan.

никогда не был фанатом джаза но это очень даже зашло отмечу очень крутые соло на басу в плейлист не добавлю но рад что познакомился с таким жанром

War flashbacks to my high school boyfriend…

Enjoyed the mellower notes of the album, the first song was too long because I didn't like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel Whiplash has forever ruined any sort of Jazz for me. ARE YOU RUSHING OR DRAGGING (throws chair)

Differed listening experience for me, I could listen to this in a bar not my go to, although obviously skilled musicians

80% de corrélation temporelle

It’s a good jazz album, but I’m not really into jazz, especially jazz without any lyrics.

I don't enjoy such music because leading sax sounds grating on my ears. I just don't like its sound. It's a nice improvisation though and I liked the piano piece

This is very jazz. Like when people say jazz this is that.

Its a classic album, but I have always found him a little hard to appreciate

jazz is cool but very long music

A decent jazz album

Probably pretty good jazz music; not at all my thing.

This is fine, but most of the time feels like a showcase of individual skillsets and not like a coherent composition. If one is into elaborate solos: Go for it. I, however, am not.

It was nice background music I guess. I feel like this project is trying to make me a fan of jazz and I can’t get anything more than just passive enjoyment out of it. It’s just all kinda noisy.

After yesterday's jazz (John Coltrane A Love Supreme) my initial thought was, Oh No! Not more Jazz! However I enjoyed this listen finding it less intense and causing less anxiety than A Love Supreme!! If I had to listen to jazz again, this would be top of my list. A good example of how 1001 album generator expands the palate!

Old school jazz. The first song feels like a test, constant change in tempo and speed, gotta be patient. Last one was my fav, but not too much to tell them apart. Enjoyed!

Very forward looking for a 50’s jazz album.

Not bad! I expected something more hardcore jazz, not to say this isn't but it's easier to listen to than I thought I would get.

Du jazz comme en ferait Numérobis s'il était pas architecte. 3.49 étoiles.

It is a complex but still accessible jazz record. It never quite hits the groove for me. Something I wouldn't complain about if it was in the background for a cocktail mixer.

Slightly oscillated between the sublime and the ridiculous, but overall I liked it more than I didn't. Obligatory not a jazzhead, but there were bits where you'd get lost in it, and others where they sounded like they were noodling completely tunelessly. Thankfully more of the former than the latter I never need to hear a badly mic-ed bass solo ever again though

Not my style but very nice instruments, makes me feel like I’m in a fancy jazzy restaurant

Love it in parts, like it on the whole, like most jazz.

Jazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz

Igjen et objektivt sykt bra album men jeg er ikke i humør for instrumentaljazz på 14 min per sang

A bit difficult to get into, but I think I could gain an appreciation with more listens.

Interesting album, would not have come across it on my own 7/10, easy-listening. Don't really listen to jazz but I can tell this is incredibly complex and has a lot of interesting motifs throughout.

I dont listen to much jazz

Sicherlich cool und brilliant, aber streckenweise für meinen Geschmack etwas zu abstrakter Jazz.

dude I dunno this slaps so hard but sometimes the less smooth piano gets makes me feel like a kid at piano lessons. This is a me problem.

Pleasant for a commute to work. That said, even if I can hear how innovative the album was in terms of structure back in 1957, the production is very much of its time, and some instruments sound rather unpleasant, the mix too, assuming there even is a mix. Still, I do enjoy the celesta on Pannonica and the slightly outdated atmosphere, but this one won’t make it into my jazz pantheon. Bemsha swing is great though.

It starts off so good, awkward and tense with great playfulness, then the intensity fades and it never manages to come near the first track. Best song: Brilliant Corners Worst song: I Surrender, Dear Cover check: Five happy monks

Nice background music for work

Smooth jazz for coffee and a cigar

Kind of just feels like a standard, middle of the road jazz album. It seems to not even be one of Monk’s more popular works, but a fine way to spend a morning.

Overall rating by me 5/10 Notes: As much as I love all kinds of jazz and alike, this one was a disappointment for me. Genuinely, had it not been for the random hitch pitch trumpet notes during the songs, easily every song would've been on the playlist. Otherwise - they would simply just put me out of focus every single time I worked on something while listening, so it's sadly a hard skip for me.

Yet another jazz album I don't get. It doesn't even work as background music. The minute you start drifting off grooving to the bass, here comes a piano note that clashes with everything else (but then somehow works). They obviously are talented, it's just not for me.

3.4/5 It feels like an injustice not having coffee in my system when listening to this album. I liked it, I listened to it while on my way to work on Monday 29th of December 2025. It is a vibe.

Good but not something for daily listening. 3/5

i like jazz

Não sou muito de escutar jazz, porém escutar monk me traz movimento. Seus contra baixos são o destaque.

J A Z Z

"Play some jazz" "What jazz?" "Just jazz"

Not really my type of music, but I didn't mind it as background music for chores. Fave track: Bemsha Swing

I thought it would be better

Possibly over my head, but I enjoyed it.

Schöne Jazz Platte. Während der ersten 2-3 Songs dachte ich, dass das auf eine vier oder fünf Sterne Wertung hinauslaufen kann, hinten raus ist es mir dann aber irgendwann auf die Nerven gegangen. Dennoch einfach guter Jazz, kann man wenig gegen sagen.

Sicherlich ein gutes Album. Geht smooth runter. Ich traue mir aber auch gar nicht zu, dass eigentlich wirklich gut bewerten zu können.

Swingin' and vibin'

Eu gosto mais de música quando tem letra mesmo :/

It's a good album, I don't really know what to say about it.

Pretty nice jazz album, about half the songs were enjoyable but not much sets it apart from other jazz albums I've heard

This record reminded me what I don’t like about jazz. I really tried to listen to it and I made through the complete record. But it’s just not mine.

Tipo de música que eu iria curtir como banda de fundo num barzinho com a galera. Parece que to ouvindo soundtrack de The Sims, nostálgico. Bem feito, bom som. 3*

I enjoyed this, I thought it was progressive and Brilliant Corners was a strong way to start the album. I particularly liked Bue-La. But I don’t think his best songs are on this album so I thought this was kind of an odd pick for the album list

The kind of music that perfectly soundtracks a morning of driving in heavy winds and on icy roads. My car and those around me moving to the music

Jazz is Jazz. Can only listen for so long. Enjoyed it though.

Mid

Acceptable jazz. 2.5/5

Satisfying jazz noise, unfortunately comes off as background music - needs the right ambient to be enjoyed fully.

1=Bad 2=Okay 3=Good 4=Great 5=Fantastic Not too much to say for me, I'm just not that crazy about saxophone forward bebop. Sometimes. If I'm in just the right mood.

Good

1 brilliant corners -- lovely sax and drums. 2 ba-lue -- peak walking aronud the city music 3 pannonica -- prob my fav i liked the melody 4 i surrender, dear -- joyous piano i fucked w it. heavier ig 5 bemsha swing -- nice instrumentation overall love jazz and good crocheting music. sometimes repetitive and long af but im not used to this type of music so whateva

Solid jazz - not mind blowing but solid as hell. THREE

I remain an inarticulate clod who failed jazz history in college, but I likes what I likes. And I likes when the different instruments have big personalities and interplay. Brilliant Corners' title track is like a conversation between the horns and the drums. Maybe its for the studied jazz initiates to know what they're saying. Ba-Lue Bolivar is a little more even-keeled, but it's not like you can have a bad time with a good sax. The bass has a great solo at the end. Pannonica and I Surrender chill out and get loungy. Not a lot for a jazz clod to latch on to. But then Bemsha Swing swings back, with some great grooves that let the sax and piano shine. Love those big drum builds that drop back into walking bass grooves. I don't know that it's that transcendent of an album, but it sounds like good jazz to me. I bet everyone had a nice time.

Some great monk! Definitely like his solo Piano stuff a little more but shout out Sonny Rollins. 3.5

Good! Wish I knew more about jazz so I could be a better judge of like what exactly I’m listening to. Could tell this was experimental/cutting edge stuff for its time, but not much beyond that. Still enjoyed!

I get how influential and important jazz is to music history, but you could play all the jazz albums on this list in whatever order and I would not be able to differentiate them for the most part. I love a good horn section and honestly the smoother stuff is always a treat to listen to.

Another day, another jazz album, another 3 stars

Didn't super vibe with this, still solid playing but it's a 3

I enjoyed the music, but I felt like it’s a bit better served contributing to a nice cozy morning and not as much as an active listening experience. Best Track: Pannonica

Decent Jazz I don't need to hear again

Im at the start of my journey into Jazz. I found stuff i loved, stuff ive hated, stuff i didnt understand and stiff i was ambivalent to. This falls into the ambivalent category, but thats probably because i dont understand it. It was pleasant and ticked along nicely without grabbing me. Im sure i'll circle back around to this in the future, but currently i didnt find a foothold in it.

Not my favorite cup of tea but a solid jazz album.

Not a big fan of real jazz...too disconnected

I fear Jazz. I fear the lack of boundaries.

I'm sure it's good but it's a bit jazzy init

To experimental jazz for my liking

Pretty solid.

Nice but not my speed

This felt like the swing of Ellington, but deconstructed. You know when Heston Blumenthal makes an apple crumble and he puts the apple on one side of the plate, the crumble on the other and the custard in another room. This feels like the swing version of that. The band feels very intuitive especially on that first track where the tempo is changing. It's obviously based around rehearsed motifs but doesn't lose a very nice improvisational feel. In summary, the album doesn't sound overly of the be-bop school of improvisation, it doesn't sound big band swing, but it sounds somewhere in between. There are elements and passages I loved, but it didn't keep me entirely captivated.

нормалек, без негатива.

Found some of the patterns challenging but that could be because I’m tired. Really like the variety of instruments across the record. The double bass section on ‘Ba-Lue Bolivar…’ is really good.

I turned this on while cooking and it offered a cinematic backtracking to my actions. That being said, if I wasn’t using this as an enhancement to another activity, I’d be unable to focus. This did inspire some curiosity in me and I want to listen to more jazz, so I’m hoping another jazz album pops up along this journey soon.

This was nice, at some times very nice. Best enjoyed when drinking a martini, by a marble fireplace, dressed in some fancy attire. Not that I did any of those things, but if I did, it would have achieved maximum niceness.

Interesting but probably won't revisit

There is no music he could make that would ever be as cool as his name is, and this is evidence of that.

Solid jazz

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would since Jazz is decidedly not my thing. Never going to relisten, but it was pleasant.

Jazz

eclectic. dont think its his best work tho

I'm not a jazz fan. But can appreciate this

7/10 - pretty cool jazz

Need to get a better listen in TBH. This was not a great Halloween album.

3 stars for respect for Monk and his legacy. But not for me

Nice Friday morning jazz album. Sounded like 101 Dalmatians and Sinatra at times.

I liked it. Didn’t know where one song ended and the next began. Maybe that’s a good thing. Probably a 3.5 for me but I’m keeping it a 3.

Really enjoyable jazz for a long drive, some of the songs went a little longer than I would have preferred, but that's kinda the whole thing. Would love to listen on a hifi with good headphones. 3.5 rounded down

Jazz never really pisses me off it, just is there solid i'd say, love a good upright bass 3/5 7.42/10

I've never listened to this album (40). Great jazz. Loved Bemsha Swing.

I love this album.

I took a long break from the generator and have been working through a backlog. For some reason, my Sex Pistols review was also posted on this album. I've never listened to it so I'll need to come back

Quiet piano music in the background. I quite like it.

Malo previše bopast bop za moje kapacitete.

In person, this would have another star. Amazing skill, but it gets a little lost in the environment.

I get it's impact - intellectually. You can hear elements that would be built upon in the coming generation. But as a pure listening experience it doesn't really transcend the time. Whereas Saxophone Colossus (Sonny R is standout on this album) Blue Train, Mingus Ah um and Kind of Blue and Moanin all continue to titillate this album fails to escape the time outside of Bemsha Swing which totally swings. Certainly a worthy entry into the canon. And an enjoyable enough listen.

It’s fine

I've tried Thelonious Monk a couple times before and always just bounced off, not sure why. Started listening to this one, and was afraid the same thing was happening, but finally after a minute or two into the third song "Pannonica" it clicked for me. I still don't think I would seek most of these songs out, but very enjoyable to sit back and vibe to. "Pannonica" is my fave on here.

Enjoyed - but didn’t grab me - perhaps one to revisit

This was my first time hearing Thelonious Monk, and while I didn't add anything to my Liked Songs, I enjoyed it. Solid 3 star listen.

Not much to say about this album, it is just instrumental piano jazz.

Moderate enthusiasm

Makes me want to be sat in a dark & ambient cocktail bar sipping on a negroni. Classical jazz isn’t my usual cup of tea, but I can definitely see the appeal of this album. It is overwhelmingly complex and intricate, making for a pleasant but challenging listen. There are instrumental elements that are obviously superb and the band seem to be in perfect harmony, but ultimately this style of music for me isn’t for everyday.

This is fun. I enjoyed my time, but I don't want to listen to jazz for at least a week and a half after this.

Not bad for jazz

Ihan toimivaa jazzia, ei vaan parasta työmatkalle tietty vaan keskittyneempään kuunteluun.

Jazz isn't exactly my genre and it's tough for me to trace what modern Jazz is drawing from this album, but I imagine it's a lot since I've heard so many student bands trying their hand at this kind of improvisation, and it's not easy to get it to sound good. This one sounds good. However, while I think the piano is great, there's way too much sax and the sax isn't that great. I really want to hear more of Monk's piano, and this album gives only a taste of it. As it stands, this album has its moments, but that's about it.

Jazz isn't typically my thing, but this was great background music to a quiet morning. I think I like jazz more when I'm not actively listening to it, and instead letting it deep into the background of whatever I'm doing, letting it dictate the tempo.

I mean it was ok, I actually didn't notice when it switched over to another artist. Pretty boring stuff but good for what it was I guess.

Every so often I find myself wishing I had studied music more at an academic level so when I listen to jazz, I can say things like, “oh my gosh, I can’t believe he just did that!“ As it is, the best I can do is say, “that wasn’t bad to listen to.“

Another challenging artist; Monk purposely chooses notes that sound like mistakes, but end up working in the context of the full composition. This is an album that grows on a person, and it sounds better and better with each listen. Not my normal choice for jazz, but it is good; Having a difficult time rounding up.

This is a jazz album. My overall view of jazz remains unchanged. He does have a very cool name, though.

Good jazz.

This is good but I don’t know enough about jazz to say anything beyond that.

I will trust the editors that this is good jazz. Them musicians are clearly good but nothing here really hit me very strongly. Insane that Sonny Rollins is still alive.

Really high 3. Not my favorite monk. Maybe like a 3.75

I can appreciate this. Just not my jam.

I like this. Monk was a legend, and has done some amazing work. This is not his best, but him, Sonny Rollins? Can’t go wrong. 6/10

Jazz. Good for deep focus and background noise

Very pleasant and easy listening.

Masters of jazz like Mr. Monk have enriched all of the music we listen to. But as I've said before, I am not a skilled listener of high level jazz. I enjoyed some of this album but I am certain I was supposed to enjoy it more. Because of the xylophone work on Pannonica, it reminds me of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, probably not what the artists had in mind. I am sure the work is genius, but I can only measure my appreciation, which is middling, I fear. 3/5

Love the Timpani throughout, but nothing much strikes me beyond that.

I found this to be a great background play, whilst cooking dinner. Great!

Didn't really get it.

They sound really loose, like they're enjoying it I know many jazz performances of this time were pretty heavily rehearsed-- I wonder how much they enjoyed this?

muy prodigioso, pero no lo volvería a escuchar

Interesting

I liked this one. Brilliant Corners and Pannonica were the two highlights. Wish I understood jazz a bit more to classify it a little further than “I liked it” but alas

It’s probably my uncultured ear, but this was a more than pleasant jazz album. Can tell there is talent, great arrangement and thought but just not knocked off my feet and also hard to distinguish sometimes. Hadn’t realised it had looped back to the start of the album and that pretty much sums it up for me. My bad, but just my experience! (3.5)

2.5

great instrumental music

Couldn’t listen to this today some days I jus can’t hack Jazz

"40 minutes for only 5 songs??????? oh nvm its jazz"

I'm not huge into Jazz but this was a good vibe album for a Sunday morning tea on the balcony.

I know Thelonious Monk was a really big deal in the jazz world, but I’d never given him much of a listen because I’m not much of a jazz guy. But, I like this record pretty good. The dude is crazy talented, even if I probably can’t appreciate all the complexity of what he’s actually doing. I probably won’t start listening to a ton of jazz after hearing this, but it’s pretty interesting. 3.5/5

it was ok. another jazz album in a row i'm gonna lose it tho

I like jazz. This is jazz alright. Jazz is good or bad and this is good. But I don’t jazz hard enough to distinguish good jazz from great jazz, other than me gravitating towards it for reasons unknown.

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.

Not my style, but it was a good experiencie. Probably my first jazz album listened.

JAZZ.

2.5 rym

1st and last track kinda slap but rest is shapeless jazz noide

I want to enjoy Thelonious more, but I just couldn't vibe with this one.

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.

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

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.

Excellent jazz album, good for studying.

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'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

Not usually a jazz fan but this had some relaxing tunes

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 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.

Good disc 2 bad disc 1

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

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

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!

Ikke brilliant, men absolutt lyttbart.

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?

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.

Helt kurant. Som vanlig noen gode og noen litt tamme. Bosch-scenery.

Wonderful and pretentious jazz

I’m just not that into jazz. 3.5 stars

It’s fine but I got bored by the end

A good roundup of monk.

Respect for the album and artist. But not something I’d really listen to.

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.

Probably best with a cigarette and pensiveness.

Mostly just jazz that I cannot distinguish from other jazz but I thought that it was nice

Jazz

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.

Enjoyable, but didn’t fully grab me. Will try returning to it.

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.

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.

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.

Classic jazz sound, nice listen, great players interesting songs

Nice.

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.

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

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

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

Good stuff.

Jazz, the sophisticated LoFi

Not really my cup of tea, but ok.

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.

Some jazzy jazz

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

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

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.

Not my favorite Thelonious Monk album, but still a solid jazz classic.

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.

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

3/5 generic jazz

good jazz type music

Not my style but a decent listen.

jazz place holder

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

Норм джаз, хотя иногда слишком мудрёный

It's good but didn't feel like it

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.

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.

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.

I am not a huge fan of jazz, but liked this

I really want to appreciate this because I want to be the kind of person who appreciates the jazz greats. Besides, “hard bop” sounds like it should be bops that go hard, and “Thelonious Monk” has to be the coolest name that’s ever been. Alas, these meanderings just didn’t do much for me. They were pleasant. And I recognize and like the riff off the last track, “Bemsha Swing,” even adding it to my 1001 playlist. But the rest of the record, to use a technical term, felt too doodly to me. Sorry, Theo.

jazzz

Really solid jazz. Glad I listened!

I like how this one sounded, but I couldn't get into it. I couldn't really pick out any motifs or parts to recognise. It just meandered along. The overall sound reminded me of time out by Dave Brubeck only that album has recognisable songs. So I prefer it. My star ratings are all over the place. Maybe this is a 2.5.

I've heard some Thelonious Monk and I just find it falls on the wrong side of the track for me. This album, despite the awesome album cover, delivers experimentation and creativity that doesn't pay off for me. Not enough to be any better than middle of the road, I found.

Some more 50's jazz! Can't say I know too much about Mr. Monk, despite knowing the name. Pretty interesting playing style he has, which is evident in the first two compositions especially. I don't claim to be a music scholar, but the title track in particular sounded different than other jazz at the time purely due to its unconventional structure and almost "off key" piano playing. Yet I now understand that was Monk's flair and style. Things slow down after side one, becoming more "conventional" in a sense I guess. The first two tracks are definitely the highlights here. Also, the second track, "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" definitely inspired the Cruella De Vil song that Roger sings in 101 Dalmatians, yeah? Couldn't help but immediately think of that as soon as the first few notes hit.

I quite enjoyed listening to this album. It was great music to have on while I was working on tasks that needed my "full attention" and thought processes. I don't know if I can see myself just sitting down and listening to this without having something else I'm doing.