Thelonious Monk - Genius Of Modern Music Vol.1 [1947]

Genre: Jazz, Free Jazz, Bebop


My opinion & thought: A classic for the legendary jazz pianist which compiled mostly all of his finest work. Put the record on and feel the midnight blues.

Stands out track(s): Humph, In Walked Bud, "Round Midnight



Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 101917 February 171982) was an American jazz pianist and composer.

Widely considered one of the most important musicians in jazz, Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight No Chaser" and "Well, You Needn't". Often regarded as a founder of Bebop, Monk's playing style later evolved away from that form. His compositions and improvisations are full of dissonant harmonies and angular melodic twists, and are impossible to separate from Monk's unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of silences and hesitations; a style nicknamed "Melodious Thunk" by his wife Nellie.

Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1 is the name given to at least four different compilation albums by jazz pianistThelonious Monk. Each version comprises some of Monk's first recordings as band leader for Blue Note, recorded in 1947 (and sometimes 1948). The original LP with this title was compiled in 1951.

Two different CD compilations have been given this title. Both redistribute the material from the two volumes in a very different order. The individual volumes of both CD compilations omit a July 2, 1948 session featuring "Evidence," "Misterioso," "Epistrophy," "I Mean You," "All The Things You Are," and "I Should Care", which were released on a Milt Jackson compilation instead. A "monochrome cover" 2-CD set called "The Complete Genius" follows the track order of the original monochrome CDs, but adds all 10 released Blue Note performances of these missing 6 titles between the contents of "Volume 1" and "Volume 2."


Tracklisting:

  • Humph
  • Evonce (alternate take)
  • Evonce
  • Suburban Eyes
  • Suburban Eyes (alternate take)
  • Nice Work If You Can Get It (alternate take)
  • Nice Work If You Can Get It
  • Ruby My Dear (alternate take)
  • Well You Needn't
  • April In Paris (alternate take)
  • April In Paris
  • Off Minor
  • Introspection
  • In Walked Bud
  • Monk's Mood
  • 'Round Midnight
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