Thelonious Monk: Brilliant Corners [RIVERSIDE / CONCORD]

Why you'll love it

Brilliant Corners was Monk's first Riverside album of his own compositions and is widely seen as his greatest record, a cornerstone of modern jazz.

This edition

• Brilliant Corners on vinyl
• Riverside / Concord pressing

About the album

Thelonious Monk's quirky, angular, wonderfully original compositions come to life here with an all-star cast: Sonny Rollins and Ernie Henry on saxophones, Oscar Pettiford and Paul Chambers on bass, Max Roach on drums and Clark Terry on trumpet.

The title track is famously tricky, a tune so challenging the band had to splice together several takes, "Pannonica" features Monk on celeste, "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" is a sly, swinging blues, and "Bemsha Swing" is pure fun. Essential jazz.

Also at Kops: more Thelonious Monk on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Riverside / Concord, a reissue of the 1957 album.