Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Crisp and warm, the performances here are wonderful across the board. A great piece of 50's jazz. It's never particularly flashy playing but they sound and are confident enough in their chops to make such demonstrations unnecessary.
The kind of jazz they use on PBS, specifically Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, has always had a special place in my heart. It's what the world I'm from sounds like. It's what it sounds like when I think about the pizza place next to the old bank and the video store near the train tracks. It looks like a model train diorama.
I think the individual performances on the record are really strong, but it definitely has that non-cohesive jazz sound where everyone is doing something different and trying to keep up and it does not serve my ADHD well trying to hear different parts at the same time. I have zero doubt that this is a great jazz album if jazz is your thing, but man I just prefer music where everything is in sync and the instruments work in harmony to compliment one another. I had to skip ahead on each track because I couldn’t do 8+ minutes of them. I’d give it 1.5 stars ideally but I’ll round up because this feels like a me problem
I hate to say this for a legend like Monk but this album just feels so unremarkable. Nothing here really grabs me, no hook. None of the tracks particularly stand out, and though there’s some good moments, there’s nothing here that would really keep me plugged in. Just feels very generic, and not in a way I need to hear again.
feel like there’s a lot of jazz you can look at & go “this came out in x year? woah!!!” but this one & Monk in general stand out to me with how effortlessly he blends bop & trolling. swapping on a dime from the swing feel to the dirge-like sound of the melody on the title track is genuinely hilarious. where are the Thelonious Monk Funny Moments compilations. also can you imagine having Mr. PC & Max Roach on your album & they don’t even make the mentions on the cover? this has me hopeful for more even slightly out there jazz on this list though i wouldn’t be surprised if they stopped with Out to Lunch hilarious the way that streaming lists artists for jazz, i loved the guest verse from Sonny Rollins (crazier part is that he’s still alive!)
Now we're talking! I had my doubts about jazz, and the general advice I found was that I'd know great jazz the moment I listened to it. Well, the moment did come, at last.
Typical Monk, not quite my taste.
Really cool jazz. A real treat. Wish it ran longer.
can you believe this guy would grow up to become a renowned detective with ocd
As far as improv-style jazz goes, this would be my favorite of the ones I’ve heard so far on this list
I needed that Jazz album today. Classic Jazz has a way of soothing the soul and this record was no different. Plus, Thelonious Monk is the most fire name of all time.
Ne sjećam se da sam prije sluša
good
I don’t hate jazz. I don’t love jazz. Wonderful for a long elevator ride.
Nope not for me
Good Stuff. Enjoyed it more that I expected.
Brilliant! Bemsha Swing is a banger. All time fav.
Les solos de contrebasse, c'est non. Les solos de trompette, non plus. Just play the right notes!
Didn’t hit the spot I wanted it to honestly. Yes it was good, but it wasn’t what I wanted I guess. Not as memorable as I would’ve wanted.
Good, solid jazz album. Simple. Songs ran a little long. Standouts: Brilliant Corners, Pannonica, and I Surrender, Dear.
Fun little Jazz album. Enjoyable and quick.
unusual as well. sounds kind of primitive, but got some catchy rhythms
i enjoy jazz music more than i thought
Jazz. Reminds me of whiplash
Wasn't bad, but I wasn't into it. I think I probably just don't get it. Wouldn't relisten
I don't know enough about this jazz to comment whether or not this is a good jazz album or not, but I do know that this is definitely the kind of music I was hoping to get out of starting this random album journey, and I think it's a good kickstart there! I also learned that I would prefer jazz songs with either vocals (in comparison to other records I've accidentally listened in the future), or with a bassline (adds some texture, like the second half of Bemsha Swing). Good data!
Andere mood 5
Solid
Good album!
I don’t have a ton to say about the details of this album, as it’s so far out of my depth. But I really enjoyed it and wish we had more unique instrumental genres to listen to. What I do know is that there seems to be some artistic liberty in the solos of different instruments peppered throughout this record (it’s jazz, so duh I shouldn’t be surprised by that. By 1957, was this a radical composition and performance? Surely to jazz heads at least, it must’ve been. My highlight here is probably the most notable mood switch on the album, Pannonica. Alternative name for this group: THEL and the MONKey homosapiens
Brilliant album. Thelonious is a genius.
One of my favorite albums of all time
Respect, but not really my taste.
There's some jazz I like, though I don't know why, so having a worthwhile opinion before "me likey" is a little rough here. I liked this enough to listen to it three times.
A brilliant album, but—idk—maybe a bit uneven. The opening track is heavy duty stuff and the others don't quite match the vibe. Apparently they were barely even able to record the former though, so that's probably why.
I don't know enough about jazz to evaluate this record. Not for me, though probably a great record.
I feel this album is more important than it is timeless. Definitely a good album and a milestone of the hard bop era but...just a good jazz album in 2025. Might have meant a lot more back then.
This is one of those albums that's probably a lot more interesting than I can really appreciate. If you know any music theory, the complexity of these songs, particularly the title track probably means a lot more. I can recognize that it's impressive and ahead of its time but I don't have the vocabulary to explain why. The novelty of the style is probably reflected in the incredible difficulty that he faced trying to get other musicians to play is correctly. But how do you communicate a sound that hasn't been heard before? Despite my lack of knowledge here, I still really enjoyed listening and trying to think about it all.
Very nice
in many ways, Thelonious Monk was far ahead of his time. although there's no denying that he was a major figure in the creation of bebop, his compositions (which have been recorded more times than those by any other jazz composer) evoke not just the then-modern bop sound, but also hark back to the fundamentals of swing and the blues. through all the idiosyncratic rhythmic schemes, odd phrase lengths, moments of dissonance and unexpected modulations, some of the most iconic melodies ever conceived shine through everything as clear as bells, or perhaps the celeste Monk plays on this album's version of "Pannonica". although this album is most well-known for its incredibly thorny title track, which alternates between choruses at full speed and half-time (and which Monk's quintet had to record in sections due to the difficulty of such a challenge for musicians in 1957), Brilliant Corners is full of more subtle surprises. "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" is a lengthy, extended jam on a modified B flat blues where saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Ernie Henry get a lot of space to stretch out; the aforementioned "Pannonica", one of Monk's quirkiest ballads, is enhanced by the presence of the also-aforementioned celeste; the solo rendition of Harry Barris' "I Surrender, Dear" features Monk's iconic stride stylings complete with some incredible dissonances thrown in for style; and "Bemsha Swing", one of my favorite Monk compositions, gets a brilliant reading to close everything out with an especially bombastic drumming performance by Max Roach incorporating some huge timpani hits. as far as fifties bop goes, this is textbook and should be required listening for any jazz musician or aficionado. light 9/10.
爽就完事了
Genius
Pleasant to listen to, balanced and 'brilliant'
Overall: 5/10 First of all, I'd like to acknowledge the incredible talent that went into making this album. Evey musician here is clearly a master at what they do. With that being said, I find Jazz to be a tough genre to fully immerse myself into. Monk is obviously a class A pianist and there were moments here that I really enjoyed. I just couldn't find anything about this album that I could sink my teeth into. I would still recommend it to people who are already into Jazz cause it's certainly a rollercoaster of an album that's worth giving a shot. Fav Song: Pannonica Least Fav Song: Bemsha Swing
Not really my thing, but he was tickling the hell out of those ivories!
I don't know if I really appreciate jazz. Its good background music...
интересный
Thelonious Monk doing his thing and doing it masterfully.
Cooked to this
All good but found it a bit boring.
There’s a bar near my house called Brilliant Corners so this has been on my list for a while! Loved it - jazz is the best work music unless it gets super intense and then it d low gives me heart palpitations
Listened to this to kick off my work day, had me feelin’ slightly more creative. I can acknowledge the brilliance but as a jazz noob not sure if I can fully appreciate it.
sadly i like words too much.
Good background music Best track: I surrender, dear
I enjoyed this so much. Perfect antidote to a gloomy first day back at work in Sydney.
I have never listened to this group before. Listening conditions: lunch break walk on a sunny day to daily bread. Sitting outside with a small flat white and hazelnut pan au chocolate. Major background music vibes. I feel like this is the kind of music you only are super into if you have nostalgia attached to it, or if you grew up around this kind of music. It kinda reminds me of when you would be forced to listen to the various school bands do some random piece of music during an assembly.
Kind of music I imagine Ross puts on to "set the mood"
Always enjoy some Monk
This is probably the most accessible jazz album of the jazz albums I've gotten in this list. Most of the jazz that I've gotten so far has been pretty hardcore stuff. Monk is the quintessential bop/post-bop musician, and so his music contains oddball time signatures, small combo sound, but stays close to a melodic theme, before free jazz emerged. Nevertheless, he's pretty far out there, just not Rahsaan Roland Kirk / Ornette Colman / Sun Ra levels of "out there". I find Monk a lot of fun to listen to--he truly plays the piano, as in playing, experimenting, exploring. Brilliant Corners swings (like most Monk), and the melodic themes stick with me for days after I listen. I think Monk is a great door into jazz for pop/rock/hip hop fans.
I likely won't revisit this due to my own personal taste. It was giving elevator music but I still can appreciate it! Good for working
I swear these jazz albums prove how musically illiterate I can be. I can read sheet music thanks to years of playing trumpet in school, but I never got into stuff like music theory or how people create music. I just learned how to play it. So every time I got a jazz album, I try to engage with it in a meaningful way, only to get lost somewhere. Maybe it’s because the tracks tend to be longer than “normal” music and thus easier to get lost in the groove. I get that’s the point, but it’s not my preference. That leads me to this album. The first two tracks were a miss to me. The title track felt a little too…experimental. Like jazz is more free lance, but this felt weird. Then, Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are was way too long for what I felt was background noise. I feel that’s kind of the problem with jazz for me. It’s set it and forget it music. If I can’t get into it, it just sort of meanders around. Honestly, I felt the saving grace was the second side of the album. The tracks there were more catchy, especially Bemsha Swing, which can get stuck in your head. And I Surrender, Dear was a very nice, soft piano piece. I feel given there are 5 songs on this album, I’ll give a star for each song I liked, which amounts to three. Favorite track: I Surrender, Dear Other hits: Bemsha Swing, Pannonica
07:14 O KURŁA ALE BEDZIE. 12:11 5 przesłuchań i zalatuje nuda, ale fajne fajne, jazgoty jazzowe zawsze miłe memu sercu.
This was definitely out of my comfort zone. I appreciated the album a lot. Felt enjoyable to listen while working.
I appreciate the complexity of the album, it was an easy listen, but not very engaging in my opinion, some parts dragged on a lot, or there were long solos, which made the album much less excentric and expressive. Overall I appreciate the record, but it just isn't for me. I'd give this album a 4,7/10.
Good stuff. Don't ignore the jazz
I should come back
I thoroughly enjoyed it 4
Wow only 5 songs to make a 47-minute long album?? They don’t make stuff like this anymore. I love jazz so I might be biased going into this, but the music is wonderful. I love how the whole album just feels like one big jam session. Fave Song: Pannonica Least Fave Song: I Surrender, Dear Rating: 5/5
This was jazz. Not an avid jazz listener, so I can't tell if it was good jazz or not. But I can confirm it was jazz. Stinks that I've been trying to listen to more jazz and yet didn't find this one all that compelling. Fav: Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are Least Fav: Brilliant Corners
Great jazz album. Jazz isn’t my first pick, and it is definitely not my favorite genre. However I really enjoyed this album. It was really great music to get work done to. I only wish I could give it a score somewhere between a 3-4.
Nice relaxed album. Was listening to it while doing some jobs and had it as background. A nice antidote to the hustle and bustle - reminded me of the scene in Goodfellas when Henry Hill is being followed by the helicopter while shopping for the pasta recipe.
Rolig jazz, deilig og litt kjedelig. Bemsha Swing on top
Feels like a background music type of album. That could be my poor and underdeveloped ear talking. I do not have enough time to go through every change and evaluate it. But I think this might be a, not too plain, plain music that you put to describe sth visual, or not to get distracted by the other thing that you are doing. Nothing wrong with that. This is the music that we hear in a jazz bar, late in the afternoon, early evening, that you are out with a loved one and you are planning the future lighthearted but with a clear vision in mind. The color red pops into my mind, roses and satin sheets. How marketing has influenced me huh! One thing, not that unexpected, yet impressive nonetheless, is that this entire thing is made on the spot, it is improvised. This is, I guess, the beauty behind this “album” if we can call it that. Props to Thelonious, he raised the bar on what improv can be! Plus one star just for that…
Jazz is...Jazz. I mean, it's chill, but you know Jazz tend to get boring after 30 minutes.
Solidly enjoyable. Seems ahead of its time but I don’t know enough jazz history to properly contextualize.
Now in my experience, I’m not a fan of jazz but I didn’t hate this so 3 stars
Amazing. I especially like the drum solos.
Nogen dage ville jeg ønske at jeg kunne spille klaver. Et album som dette får mig til at tænke over hvor godt det er at jeg ikke har smidt mit tid i det... Det her er hårdt for mig at komme igennem. De spiller ikke dårligt, men bare Jazz...
Frokost Jazz. Deg kan lige svinge sig op på hyggeligt baggrundsmuzak
3/1001 Nothing bad about this album, I’m just not the right audience. For me it’s a bit to experimental as one of my first forays into jazz, and tbh it’s a bit boring. I get why people might appreciate it though. Great musicianship, fantastic production and sound. Just not for me. 3/5
Jazz. Langweilig.
This is the recording that came up right after one of Kanye West's albums. A complete 180 degree turn. Being someone who does enjoy jazz I am glad to have heard this album from Thelonius Monk whichnI somehow had not come across previously. And what a cast. In addition to Monk, there is Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, Oscar Pettiford and Paul Chambers on bass, Ernie Henry and Max Roach on drums. Apparently Monk's first album with his own material. There was much more.to come!!
7/10
Neat!
molto jaaazz
i just can’t seem to get into this kind of jazz 2.5
Maybe this list is converting me to liking jazz. Made me feel cool listening to it, especially because it's nearly 70 years old.
Oh no, I don't like this kind of jazz at all. It sends a chill down my spine. Everything seems so atonal. For me, there is almost no structure in these songs. OK, expecting something melodic here is probably naive. The whole thing is called 'unconventional structure'. I admit, something like that can sometimes be interesting. Would I want to hear it again? Definitely not.
Pleasant enough driving around music, which is how I experienced it yesterday
Now THIS is jazz! Listening to this album took me back to my years playing in jazz ensembles, and while I’ve PLAYED a lot of jazz throughout the years, I feel like you can’t truly understand it until you’ve sat down and listened through the greats. Thelonious Monk is one such legendary musician whose music deserves a thorough listen. This album was very enjoyable! The first track, which is also the title track, opens with a dissonant little piano intro. Monk was noted for his use of dissonance and accidentals — he once famously quipped that the piano “ain’t got no wrong notes.” The saxes, played by Ernie Henry and Sonny Rollins, launch into a dizzying melody. Part of me wishes the saxes would have utilized more harmony than playing unison, but with how much is going on in the other instruments, it might have been a good idea to keep things simple. There is also a drum solo — in fact, several of the tracks have drum solos. And I’m a sucker for a good jazz drum solo. The following piece features a melodic line that almost resembles the legendary villain song “Cruella de Vil” — in fact, Monk’s composition predates the Disney song by a few years, and I’m curious if the composer for the 1961 One Hundred and One Dalmatians drew some inspiration from Monk’s music. Monk’s penchant for dissonant, unusual chords is once again on display. The upright bass solo, interestingly, doesn’t have much of a discernible chord progression, as the piano drops out, and doesn’t really stick to the key much. I’m not typically a fan of atonal-sounding music, but this solo actually managed to captivate me BECAUSE of how weird it was. Our third track, “Pannonica,” is a celesta-driven ballad that includes some breathtaking moments between the saxes, giving me some of those delicious harmonies I was wishing for in the title track. The drums are much softer here, seemingly played with brushes rather than sticks, while the saxes and piano play off each other beautifully throughout the piece. Track number four is all piano, baby! Monk shines in this twinkly little piece titled “I Surrender, Dear,” a cover of a composition written by Harry Barris and Gordon Clifford. Something that took me aback at first were the tiny audible sighs and hums you can hear throughout this recording. It’s amazing how intimate those little noises make the music seem. It feels like you’re in the room as Monk is performing just for you. I feel like that human element is missing from a lot of music today due to how perfect we feel like we have to get recordings to sound. We really sanitize our music these days before it’s released, but I’d love to see a return to these simpler recordings, just a man and his piano in a room. The final track is a tune co-written with Denzil Best in honor of Best’s parent’s homeland of Barbados. The recurring melody is very interesting here — I got more “Middle East” than “Barbados” vibes from it. I haven’t played around with my keyboard to figure out which scale this piece utilizes, but I’d be curious it borrows at all from scales originating outside the Western music tradition. It’s a very odd-sounding but catchy melody, and I can see myself humming it myself for the rest of the day. It also borrows a little from the twelve-bar blues progression, although the progression is lacking the traditional dominant chord turnaround at the end. It’s probably my favorite track if I’m honest, because I really do love the melody, and I feel like it’s the most musically cohesive song on the album. This album is very weird, but then again, the best jazz IS weird. Thelonious Monk is a legendary musician for a reason, and his talent really shines through on this album. It was a fascinating voyage through a handful of very unique compositions, and I really enjoyed getting to analyze them on a theory level. Four years of music school paid off I guess!
Definitely not an album I would’ve sought out on my own, so grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to it. This is good music I can confidently say, but it’s just not my bag. Jazz like this is something I can listen to and appreciate it, like fine art, but there’s no real listenability factor for me so it’s not like I’m listening for pleasure. That said, this is very good jazz and I’m glad to have finally listened to a Thelonious Monk record. I’ve known the name for a long time, so it’s cool to have finally been able to indulge. I think my favorite song though was the one that reminded me of the tune for “Cruella De Vil” (“Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are”) so that probably tells you all you need to know about my musical tastes.
Great for casual hangout for background classical jazz tunes. Great for car ride with fam
Exciting and monumentous. Beautiful and subtle. A rare achievement. We listened like 7 times in a row.
3 - jazzy
Thought I would be way more to into this, but really found it quite dull 2.6/5
I have probably never consciously heard of Thelonious Monk or this album. As a rule, jazz is too complicated for me, although I am definitely interested in the genre. So I listened to this album with great interest. Perhaps the first track on the album is particularly difficult. I didn't really understand it and found it difficult. I enjoyed the other tracks on the album so much that I spent the rest of the day listening to Jazz Classics with great pleasure. 4/5
I always feel like I’m missing most of what is going on when I listen to jazz, but I found it quite enjoyable
A great album but not my favorite Monk collection
Really nice jazz 7/10
Love me some jazz this is beautiful
Aw man, this one is hard. I recognize the importance of Thelonious Monk, and I'm sure this album rocks some people's world. I just really dont like improv jazz with 15 minutes songs. I've tried to get into jazz for the last 20 years, and I give up. It's not you, it's me.
A challenging listen, but I put a lot of effort into this one and found it rewarding.
I understand and appreciate that this is important music.
Perfect!
Iconic
Enjoyable jazz album Standout song: I Surrender, Dear
I don’t get jazz. I wish I did.
6/10. Washed over me.
Not bad
No thanks. Only song I could listen to for a bit was number 4, rest unbearable
Wonderful, lush and complex jazz piece. A little disjointed at times, and it feels awfully rehearsed at others. However, all collaborators seem to play off each other's strengths and weakness' really well and Thelonius gives them space to do their own thing.
Gracias, que no se repita
Great jazz. I wish I could hear this in a basement club.
It's Jazz, with brass instruments.
Pleasant jazz.
Seems like an excellent jazz album, just not quite my style.
Wasn’t expecting to hear
Yes enjoyed this album
I lack the gene to appreciate this style of music.
if I were asked what I like more: jazz or drinking tea in front of the fireplace, I would answer that it's the same shit. thelonious is my favourite one he is on a level with miles davis and john coltrane the music is when your legs want to fly and your arms want to walk on the earth woosh....
Can’t imagine a time when I would be in the mood to listen to this so I’m gonna skip it and say 3 stars
Watching videos of Monk he has this almost childlike style of playing - hesitant bum notes, prodding keys top-down with rigid fingers - but will then roll effortlessly into beautiful trilling and meandering solos. The man was an amazing, singular talent and clearly didn't give a toss about cohering to standards of melody and rhythm. Although maybe not on the same wavelength (who could be), there's some gorgeous sax by Sonny Rollins on here too.
Loved!
It's jazz, I just can't get into jazz. Rating: 2
Jazz. Jazz, jazz. Jazz. Jazz.
Great jazz album
Jazz is such a drag to get through. It's not terrible by any means, it's just incredibly boring Give me jazz-influenced genres any day of the week and I'll eat that shit up, but jazz by itself it too tedious. It's needs something else alongside it
Favorite Track: Brilliant Corners
really great album not really my type of music but very calming
-wow this was a fun listen! as much as I’ve been getting into jazz lately I hadn’t heard Thelonious Monk yet and had been waiting for the chance. Stays true to the fun hard bop sound of the 50s/60s(?) that I like but also had some cool unique sounds -Favorites are Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, Pannonica, and Bemsha Swing
Enjoyable jazzin'
Never actually listened to some jazz improv, so really hard to rate it
I live for the day that I find a jazz album that I like enough that it leads me down the slippery slope to liking jazz. Unfortunately today wasn’t that day.
I need to be in a dimly lit, smoky bar to properly enjoy this.
Pretty standard jazz
Just not my bag
Thelonious Monk is the character in the film American fiction. Soundtrack is similar sound. This album was good, creative and interesting in a relaxed way. Will have another listen later
I think everytime jazz comes up I say the same thing. Nice ambience, not got enough of a palette today I like it or not
great jazz record, must listen
It was jazzy softy cuqui, perfect for some old classic late night cooking, am ir right?
really good, nice, cohesive jazz album. Good for winter. not good for the impatient, energetic listener.
Good. Satisfying, but nothing on here grabbed me enough to seek it out for additional listens in future.
I do like me some solid jazz, and this is that. Not much else to say except yes it is good.
I loved Pannonica. The rest was pretty good too.
Un genio del piano, con una forma única de tocar. Este disco le supuso el reconocimiento que durante años le fue negado, a pesar de haber compuesto clásicos como Round Midnight. Sonny Rollins al saxo (salvo en Bemsha Swing), otro gigante. Max Roach y Pettiford, dos innovadores del Be Bop completan el cuarteto. Otros discos de 1957: Little Richard- Here´s, Miles Davis- The birth of the cool, The Crickets (Byddy Holly)- The Chirping Crickets, Count Basie- Atomic y April in Paris, Sabu- Palo Congo, Machito- Kenya, After Midnight – Nat King Cole, After School Session – Chuck Berry, At Mister Kelly's – Sarah Vaughan, Coltrane – John Coltrane, Ray Charles y The Great Ray Charles – Ray Charles, Please, Please, Please – James Brown, Ricky – Ricky Nelson
Jazzy stuff, didn't make feel anything to be honest, I understand the technical aspect of it, but I think it's not as appealing as other genres
Great jazz album, just not my speed.
Didn't enjoy this sadly. A shame as I'd have loved to have been able to brag about loving a super cool Jazz album...
I have been into the old school jazz lately but funny thing how this works... the more albums and artists I am introduced to, the less everything is just master class and amazing. Some stuff still is and will be, but I have become more picky in a way. I thought, for instance, that this was pretty good but not so strong as some things from the time. I think what I mean is jazz from the late 50's is ALL good! But there still is and always will be a pecking order of sorts, and for me, in this case, yeah, this album is OK.
Jazz! Excelente! Surreal que isso é da década de 50!
It's jazz. It's kinda cool. If you like jazz. Which I don't.
Great jazz music for a quiet evening in and glass of wine
Jazz but good jazz. 8/10
Truly top notch jazz. Monk's mastery of the piano shines here. Truly love this, but it's almost impossible to bump me up to four stars without lyrics.
Good album for Saturday afternoon listening. A little heavy on the saxes for me but overall enjoyable. 3.5
Surprisingly I enjoyed 3 of these tracks. The xylophone solo was a deal breaker and the opening track’s timing fuckery made me feel like my atoms were in the wrong spot
Well, this was jazz. I don't love instrumental music most of the time, so this gets a maximum of 3 stars already, but he did keep it interesting!
i don't know a lot about jazz
?????
Incredible arrangements. Felt good in the brain to listen to this.
Brilliant corners is simply a timeless classic. Monk's style may be off putting for some with his crunchy dissonant, off kilter dissonant piano playing, but therein also lies his genius. Allstar band. Highlight for me is Bemsha Swing. 4⭐️
Interesante y agradable de estudiar, pero siento que no sé tanto de jazz como para poder diferenciar un jazz bueno de uno malo, todos me parecen buenos.
I was concerned since I’m not normally a jazz girl but I liked this more than most! Surprised!
I should listen to more jazz. And after listening to this album, that further cements that thought. Wow, everyone was just... on. I found myself humming the melody of the last track throughout the day, which really tells you something, you know? I like how the first two tracks kinda ran together, I had totally missed the change. Top tracks: "Bemsha Swing," but all the others were stunning pieces of work.
I didn't connect with this album. I didn't love side one - both the title track and Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are felt just a bit too stilted, abrupt, or liked it was lurching. I enjoyed side two more, a little smoother or more melodic. Particularly I Surrender Dear and Pannonica, although their intros were perhaps too similar. I'm sorry jazz lovers, I still don't get it.
Too many discordant passages in this for me to really like. I like other music from Monk, but I didn't much care for this album 2.5
Slightly more interesting than most of the jazz music we've listened to so far.
While I had heard of Thelonious Monk, I'd never actually listened to his music till this project. Boy have I been missing out. If anyone says Jazz sounds bad, send them this album. 5/5
Bueno
To me this is just your standard run of the mill jazz. Nothing too special
9/10
Ok
No - JAZZ -
Thelonious Monk is one of the legends of Jazz music. I remember playing his music in Jazz band in High School. I hated Jazz Band in High School.
It's jazz. It worked fine as background music and it's annoying if you actually listen closely.
great sound
Best jazz so far.
I hated this less than I expected. Still awful, but better than that Miles Davis trash I listened to here.
I've listened to this album twice now and it's not going to stop at that. This is jazz how I like it, to be enjoyed with focus (but it works as background music too). It's as if you are in the studio with the musicians just enjoying and wondering what they'd come up with next. Nothing is predicable, but at the same time nothing is just to show off, it all serves a purpose. Nice variation in instruments/ solos. There are a (very) few phrases reminiscent of what came before like swing style jazz, which I don't like. But it's mostly (hard) bop - not sure what that means but if it's jazz with bop in it I usually love it :-). Nearly 70 years old but still sounds great. A 5* for me!
Jazz
A jazz album that is short, but seems to go on forever.
Yep, I've done the research and this is definitely jazz. I don't even know what to say here. It's fine, I guess. It's not unpleasant.
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!
It's jazz. I don't have any special feelings towards the genre.
Beautiful jazz💆♂️Piano, saxes, trumpet and bass is perfect to me. Drums also really good, but maybe just a bit too free at times.
That was certainly jazz
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
Pretty great
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.
Not for me personally, but I can appreciate it
3/5
I don’t get jazz but occasionally I enjoy some of it. I did not enjoy this at all.
Was familiar with these but not the name. Will be in my rotation.
The world needs to hear more Monk.
Fine jazz. I like that one part that sounds like the Cruella de Vil theme.
I liked the cruella deville song!
Cool classic jazz that often has harsh and dissonant sounds, but leans into them to. Reate hooks. Right off the bat with Brilliant Corners, it's abrasive and challenging, but about a minute in it takes off and starts bringing that motiff all around with a ton of different tones and vibes. I enjoyed this as someone who had never listened to Thelonious. Probably just behind A Love Supreme on my favorite Jazz from this playlist so far.
Awesome
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
Not my typical cup of tea and if I did not know any better, I would say it sounds like any old modern jazz. On second listen, I started to hear runs that sounded familiar from Jeff Beck and Steely Dan songs and everything started to click. Brilliant Corners and Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are were not easy for me to listen to, but Pannonica and I Surrender Dear resonated with me much more.
Nice jazz. His style is a little frenetic for me, but you can't go wrong with a classic jazz artist like Thelonious Monk. It's more accessible than some of his other albums.
Enjoyed this album, it gave me Miles Davis vibes.
For me Monk, as a composer, is second only to Bach in making music that reflects the fullness of life. It's almost unfathomably complex, at times messy, filled with tension, and constantly taking unexpected turns. But with all of that, it's beautiful and exciting, occasionally funny, and undeniably rooted in some grand pattern that we, mere mortals, can only vaguely recognize. And like life, as crazy as it gets, it always leaves me wanting more. Brilliant Corners is an absolute masterpiece.
5/10…Jazz, für 1957 sicherlich was besonderes…
A classic jazz album. Plenty of double bass, piano, Trumpet etc. Don't know a lot about the genre of jazz music. I know there are various types of it. This to me was what I would describe as classic jazz if there is such a thing. Enjoyed listening but bit repetitive.
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.
1. cornerz - 1 2. bolivar - 1.5 3. pannonica - 1 4. zurrender - 1.5 5. zuuing - 1.5
Not a fan of jazz but I gave it a try. Still not a fan of jazz.
Love Jazz and Thelonius but this is an EP. Shouldn’t be on an albums list. Good album but getting a 3 star review.
This was an excellent antidote the morose album Bright Flight
If this guys name wasn’t so cool id give this a zero
Very old school Jazzy
This was wonderful. Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-Are is my favorite, and when I was listening, it really reminded me of the Cruella de Vil theme from the original animated 101 Dalmations. I remember the character Roger was a jazz pianist, and I figured the composer of the theme Roger plays must have been paying homage to Monk. Wikipedia confirms this is so! Lovely Sunday afternoon relaxation, this.
Brilliant piano tones, a fantastic groundbreaking album for the fifties
I was familiar with Thelonius Monk. Enjoyed the album- jazz is typically not for me but it was nice. Used it as background music for a dinner party.
2/5
Un des albums jazz que j'ai préférés, parce qu'il me semblait accessible même dans sa veine exploratoire
I understand why this album made the list but it did not resonate with me
Early morning jazz Nothing remarkable but good vibes
Piano notes off, too much randomness on instruments being played.
Not that big of a jazz fan.
I quite enjoyed the first 20 minutes. I can tell its made with a lot of skill but I think jazz is something I have to enjoy in small bursts. Some Charles Mingus came on after and that was good though!
A nice album. I have to confess I preferred the sections which were both in time and in tune.
Very enjoyable album but it’s tough for me to say that this was too far beyond the level of coffee house jazz.
A two star album, but Thelonious Monk is a five star name
Ahhh not for me Simpsons: Yes
Pleasant background music.
I'm not a fan of this, but he has a cool name, which earns him an extra star.
Maybe I’m being generous but I just love jazz. Haven’t listened to enough Monk before this.
Nice jazz album, I enjoyed the sound. Relaxing.
музыкально и красиво но не совсем то настроение / темп что я люблю, хотя уши некоторых более поздних музыкантов увидела тут
Unreal, worth adding to the work collection.
Fine. Jazz, no lyrics, nothing super exciting
Pretty good for jazz is still just okay for regular music. It all sounds the same about two songs in, and it gets pretty boring. Maybe I'm just traumatized from having two jazz albums in a row and fearing a third.
Music that makes you feel like you're too dumb to understand it. Maybe I'm just not in a jazz mood today. I do like the atmosphere and it sounds great. So I won't dock any points but I'm having trouble justifying going higher than *** either.
Yep, it's definitely jazz.
It's jazz, and at this point it'll have to do something seriously crazy (for better or worse) to sway me away from a 3/5 rating. The beginning of the opening/title track is a little worrying because, rhythm-wise, it feels almost free-jazz-like with the percussive uncertainty and lack of cemented rhythm. But then it hits its stride after a minute or two, and it's smooth sailing from there. Most of the remainder of the album is bouncy, joyful, unassuming jazz played by some of the genre's legends (including, of course, the great Thelonious Monk himself). But no track in particular really stands out. The sax and piano playing, particularly the sax solos (which are extremely plentiful), are fantastic, particularly in the title track and Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are; however, they're absent in the remaining three tracks, which are largely piano instrumental ballads. The lack of album flow isn't ideal and takes away from the listening experience. 3/5 Key tracks: none
Excellent album! I loved the energy, simplicity and technicality of each song, I would definitely listen to it again
It was fine
Everything I love about jazz
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!
Not my bag, at all
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.
It' was background music to me but still pleasant to listen to. I'm not a massive fan of jazz but There were some moments that caught my attention. 6/10
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.
American Jazz. Good musically just not my thing
Not typically the kind of jazz I listen to but I could see this sounded great when you are in the proper mood. Regardless not bad background music.
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 !!
Nice jazz. Nothing less, nothing more, really.
Pretty good jazz album. Nothing really stood out to me but there were some pretty slick piano licks. Would listen to it again.
Not quite as irritating as other jazz aficionados, but I’m not sure why that first track took 12 takes. It’s all chaos.
jazzy
nice jazz album! quite enjoyed. jazz generally isn't really my taste though - it was a nice listen but i probably won't come back to it.
Some good stuff. Sonny did a great job on this record
great jazz album
I'm going to preface this by saying that I was busy while listening to this and didn't give it the attention that I usually do with albums. This really didn't do much for me. It sounds like a bunch of guys that were hired to do the hold music for your telco got bored and started drinking.
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.
Horn heavy, not for me
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
I am sure it’s lovely jazz, I am just not sure about my love for jazz.
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.
Mm mm… that’s another jazz album over
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
I just don't like jazz.
Listened while walking through Bedstuy
Great album.
Good stuff yeh
Superb
It’s monk. Of course it’s perfect.
cool but deep jazz
Went into this expecting to not like it. I was so wrong. 4/5
Bluesy and jazzy vibes. Was enjoying listening to this while working. Felt like I should be in a bar sipping a martini in a fancy dress. Not something I’d regularly listen to, though
Swanky and stanky. The Picasso of jazz. Rock on Thelonious.
Yeah, most 50’s jazz on here is really good.
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
genius. highly recommend you listen.
I like jazz but without lyrics is tough for me to enjoy. It feels like elevator music or at most soothing background music. Artist is no doubt talented but hard to comprehend what makes this album specifically influential.
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...
Definitely a solid monk album but not my favourite (monk’s mood if you’re asking). The title track was the highlight for me and I was fascinated by the recording process for it- 25 takes, frustration with monk which eventually led to them having to splice takes together to get a final track. I love that for one take they thought there was something wrong with the bass set up as there wasn’t a signal until they realized he was just pretending to play because he totally couldn’t follow monk!
Jazz is one of those things where fans get so into it that I'm left feeling I'm missing something. It must be me, right, if people can be so obsessed they could reel off every band member for each recording of every song while I'm sat there going, meh? I did wonder how I knew the tune for Bemsha Swing, then I remembered it was used for F.U. by the chili peppers - so that's an embarrassing admission of my own cultural touchstones, I suppose
I HATE JAZZ
Just annoying. It’s like they are constantly warming up and I spent the album waiting for them to start playing something.
I'm trying to like jazz - but mostly I just don't. This is in the never listen to again jazz category