About

A TAV Essential Listening Album.

“Monk's Dream is the first album jazz musician Thelonious Monk released on Columbia Records. It was recorded in 4 days in autumn 1962 and issued a year later. The Thelonious Monk Quartet consisted of Monk (piano), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), John Ore (bass), and Frankie Dunlop (drums). Jazz scholars and enthusiasts alike also heralded this combo as the best Monk had been involved with for several years. Although he would perform and record supported by various other musicians, the tight dimensions that these four shared has rarely been equaled in any genre.

On tracks such as "Five Spot Blues" and "Bolivar Blues," Rouse and Dunlop demonstrate their uncanny abilities by squeezing in well-placed instrumental fills, while never getting hit by the unpredictable rhythmic frisbees being tossed about by Monk. Augmenting the six quartet recordings are two solo sides: "Just a Gigolo" and "Body and Soul." Most notable about Monk's solo work is how much he retained the same extreme level of intuition throughout the nearly two decades that separate these recordings from his initial renderings in the late '40s.” - Music On Vinyl

“There're no Monk-penned classics on this album like ”Round Midnight,' 'Epistrophy,' 'Blue Monk,' '52nd Street Theme' or 'Straight No Chaser,' but in a way that only makes the argument for this concept of a great album all the more strong. As the album plays, you get 'Blues Five Spot' 'Bye-Ya,' 'Blue Bolivar Blues' and 'Sweet and Lovely,' and they all fit together as a whole.

It's hard to say exactly what made this album the enduring landmark it is. Was it the sheer excitement of a well-rehearsed band recording for a big label the first time? Was the emergence of avant-garde and post-bop attuning jazz ears to different sounds? Was it the beauty of the music?

Nonetheless, 'Monk's Dream' is the signature album by one of jazz's signature artist. His other albums may have had more classic material, a more famous lineup or whatever, but this was a consolidation of Monk's genius into one perfect moment when the stars all aligned. It made him a legend.” - All About Jazz

Musicians:

• Thelonious Monk, piano
• Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
• John Ore, bass
• Frankie Dunlop, drums

Item description: