 Thelonious Monk Solo Monk is a nearly perfect record, my favorite of Monk's solo piano albums and one of my favorite Monk albums, period. Originally released on CD as part of the Columbia Jazz Masterpieces series, the album is available in a remastered version as well as an expanded set called Monk Alone, which compiles all of Monk's solo piano recordings for Columbia, including many excellent alternate takes from Solo Monk. Now, anyone who knows me knows that if there's a new CD reissue out, it's the must-have version for me, and I've been known to happily pay extra for "restored packaging," "20-bit remastered sound," and in some cases, simply a new case with a transparent jewel box. In this case, the new edition is clearly better, while Monk Alone radically repackages it into "ultimate" format. Either one's a good choice, though I give a slight nod to the 2-disc version, just 'cause there's more. Yet I can't help but feel a bit wispy as those beloved Columbia Jazz Masterpieces go the way of the Velamint. With their deep purple borders and near-guarantee of quality, the CJM's introduced me to a lot of good jazz. I'm sure it's no great comfort to old-timers that compact discs released in the late 80s and early 90s were a primary tool of jazz inspiration for my generation, but we all have to start somewhere. Sigh. So, goodbye, you seemingly wonderful things. At the time, to those of us who didn't know any better, you sounded great and looked attractive. We had no idea how much CD packaging would change within a decade; we had no indication that CD reissues would reach a fever pitch in the late 90's and elevate the business almost to an art form. Farewell, farewell. Like Vintage International paperbacks, you served left-leaning, waywardly pretentious college kids like myself very well. Through you, I first heard the genius of Miles and Monk, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday … thank you for your service. As you enter a retirement of vacations in the bargain bin and used CD shops, remember this: you had your moment, and appreciate you we did. Solo Monk, to break from that rather esoteric little reverie, is a fairly perfectly programmed CD. "Dinah," the sunny little rag that opens the album, sets the tone for what is just a spellbinding and supremely pleasing private concert from one of the best to ever sit down at a piano. Sigh. "Dinah," "I Surrender, Dear," "Sweet and Lovely," "North of the Sunset," "Ruby, My Dear," "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)," "I Hadn't Anyone Till You," "Everything Happens To Me," "Monk's Point," "I Should Care," "Ask Me Now," "These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)," "Introspection." How I love this album, even just looking at the tracklist. It's a romantic, nostalgic, beautiful album. Monk rarely seemed this expressive, this personal. Each song is taken at a similar, medium tempo, with lots of stride and all that melody. Chopin sure made the piano sound pretty, but listening to Monk is like hearing a piano tell an incredibly witty and engaging story. I love this album so much I named my vibrator after it.
Review by Wimpempy Tarlisle |