London Collection
In the excellent liner notes to this collection (previously available on the Black Lion label), Alun Morgan quotes Monk authority Max Harrison, who wrote, "Thelonious Monk works so exclusively with the basic materials of jazz that, in the best moments, his playing almost becomes a working definition of that music." After a few spins of this gorgeous recording, culled from Monk's last studio session in 1971, one must wonder why Harrison's statement equivocates by using the wordalmost. This solo outing (given an impeccable, 24-bit remastering job, by the way) presents some of Monk's best-known tunes--"Trinkle, Trinkle," Crepuscule with Nellie," "Blue Sphere"--which are given a reworking that's both sentimental and very stirring. Also included are tracks that Monk rarely recorded, such as wistful reading of "My Melancholy Baby" and an introspective "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland." Aside from the magnificent performance and the sterling recording quality, the most powerful element of this recording is Monk's shiver-inducing ability to reinvent, recompose, and innovate--which is front and center here. Highly recommended.--S. Duda