About four months ago I posted with the opinion that Monk. was my favorite Thelonious Monk album. I stand by that opinion . . . and if I was forced to take but a single Monk album to a lonely place, my new choice would probably be Brilliant Corners. Recorded in 1956 and remastered in 1987, Brilliant Corners has a great lineup, featuring the saxophone of Sonny Rollins and the drums (including tympany!) of Max Roach. The tunes are “Brilliant Corners,” “Pannonica,” “Bemsha Swing,” and two others.
According to original liner notes, the music was very difficult for the gifted musicians to play. Maybe for this reason the album won’t be as accessible to many listeners as other Monk offerings. But it’s still fun, and I’d be just plain wrong not to recommend it to the curious.
