Title: Monkish Delight
Review: Monk made idiosyncrasy a way of life and a way of music--all without artifice or cliché. He was unrepeatable and unforgettable. No one else sounds much like him, although I have a George Russell recording where Russell (more known as an arranger than a soloist) betrays some influence.Monk is most known for his quartets, but this is a big band setting with multi-layered and swinging arrangements by Oliver Nelson. Yet Monk is still Monk: the use of space, always playing the melody, the long, inimitable arpeggios, the percussive sensibility, the serious playfulness and earnestness without being precious or pretentious.Yes, Monk tended to play the same tunes repeatedly at this point in his career, but these renditions shine, nevertheless. Listen. Enjoy. Be thankful. Human are bestowed with the ability to manifest beauty--at times.
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