Frank Kimbrough: Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk

Every composition by jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk as interpreted by a pianist with a quartet that can do just about anything.

Music
    
        Gregory Lewis and Marc Ribot Go Groovin' with Thelonious Monk on 'Organ Monk Blue'
    
John Garratt

    25 Jan 2018

Music
    
        The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2017
    
PopMatters Staff

    21 Dec 2017

Music
    
        Thelonious Monk: The Complete Prestige 10-inch LP Collection
    
Chris Ingalls

    20 Dec 2017

Recent

Music

Roswell Rudd/Fay Victor/Lafayette Harris/Ken Filiano: Embrace

Roswell Rudd, ailing from cancer at 82, releases a loving quartet record of standards with collaborators as distinctive as he is.

Music

Wadada Leo Smith: Solo - Reflections and Meditations on Monk

The everywhere-at-once trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith goes it alone, alternating Monk tunes and Monk-inspired originals for solo trumpet. S L O W.

Music

Thelonious Monk: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960

A rediscovered Thelonious Monk session sheds light on the composer's skill as a bandleader as well as his unassuming professionalism.

Music

Down by the Riverside: Thelonious Monk's High-Water Mark

The Complete Riverside Recordings comprises 15 discs' worth of raw material to sift through, a formidable task with endless rewards.

Music

Covering Cover Songs

Cover songs don't have to be all that bad. Just listen to what Becca Stevens and Jason Moran have been doing lately, and you'll see.

Music

Orrin Keepnews: Hero for America's Music

Orrin Keepnews didn't just encourage and oversee some of the most important jazz recordings in history; he rolled up his sleeves and helped shape their final form.

Music

Jason Ajemian: Folklords

The spirit of Mingus is alive and well in Jason Ajemian's band recording for Delmark. Oh, and let's not forget about Monk and Sun Ra.

Music

Various Artists: The Best of Blue Note

Here's another one of those groovy, swingin', melodic and enjoyable exercises in futility.

Music

List This! A Beginner's Guide to Blue Note Records

Blue Note, one of the foremost jazz record labels, is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a vinyl initiative, releasing highlights from its massive catalog over the course of two years. Here are some picks to get you started.

Music

Thelonious Monk / Gerry Mulligan: Mulligan Meets Monk

Jazz greats Monk and Mulligan only played one session together. Bebop met cool, and it was boss.

Books

Every Family Has One: 'The Baroness'

A story of jazz, wealth and family; 'Nica' Pannonica de Koenigswarter's life was truly one for the ages.

Music

Thelonius Monk Quartet: Misterioso

Monk's music, recorded live and in his prime.

Music

Wes Montgomery: Echoes of Indiana Avenue

Other than a crackling record on a turntable, there is perhaps nothing more satisfying to a jazz aficionado than the release of never-before-heard material from a great player.

Music

The Top 10 Jazz Tunes For People Who Don't Like Jazz

While jazz’s complexity cannot be denied, much of the music remains accessible to all. The trick is just finding the right tunes and artists, those who have a universal appeal beyond the scope of the typical, admittedly somewhat limited, jazz audience.

Events

Ali Jackson Trio with John Faddis: 18 October 2011 - New York

The Ali Jackson Trio celebrates Dizzy Gillespie's birthday this week at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center with the help of some special guests.

Music

Thelonious Monk: Monk’s Music

No matter how many times it gets reissued, a great album is still a great album. Monk's Music will never sound anything short of terrific.

Music

Bud Powell: Un Poco Loco

In between stays at mental institutions for schizophrenia, Powell left behind a remarkable legacy. Sadly, he hasn’t received the same widespread admiration that his close friend Thelonious Monk secured. But to true fans of the jazz genre, Powell is revered.

Music

Thelonious Monk: The Definitive Thelonious Monk on Prestige & Riverside

A fine overview, but given the breadth of the artist's Riverside and Prestige catalogs, it's hard to shake the sense that this collection conceals at least as much as it reveals

Books

Always Know; Monk Always

Conspicuously absent from PM’s list of the best nonfiction for 2009 is Robin D. G. Kelly’s comprehensive biography of the high priest of bop, Thelonious Sphere Monk.

Reviews

The Music of Thelonious Monk - Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Marcus Roberts

Though jazz is equally, if not more, fundamental to the American psyche as baseball, we, unfortunately, don’t pay our dues as devoutly as to those on the diamond.

Thomas Hauner

Music

Thelonious Monk: Live at the 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival

The vintage, never-before-released outing from the a high point of Monk's career

Music

Thelonious Monk: Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington

Monk, after a while, begins to remind you of a wily raconteur, retelling a funny story that you’ve never heard before.

Reviews

Collapse Expand Reviews

Features

The Road to Murder in Love and War: Three Films from Claude Chabrol

Collapse Expand Features

PM Picks

Collapse Expand Pm Picks

Every composition by jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk as interpreted by a pianist with a quartet that can do just about anything.

Roswell Rudd, ailing from cancer at 82, releases a loving quartet record of standards with collaborators as distinctive as he is.

The everywhere-at-once trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith goes it alone, alternating Monk tunes and Monk-inspired originals for solo trumpet. S L O W.

A rediscovered Thelonious Monk session sheds light on the composer's skill as a bandleader as well as his unassuming professionalism.

The Complete Riverside Recordings comprises 15 discs' worth of raw material to sift through, a formidable task with endless rewards.

Cover songs don't have to be all that bad. Just listen to what Becca Stevens and Jason Moran have been doing lately, and you'll see.

Orrin Keepnews didn't just encourage and oversee some of the most important jazz recordings in history; he rolled up his sleeves and helped shape their final form.

The spirit of Mingus is alive and well in Jason Ajemian's band recording for Delmark. Oh, and let's not forget about Monk and Sun Ra.

Here's another one of those groovy, swingin', melodic and enjoyable exercises in futility.

Blue Note, one of the foremost jazz record labels, is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a vinyl initiative, releasing highlights from its massive catalog over the course of two years. Here are some picks to get you started.

Jazz greats Monk and Mulligan only played one session together. Bebop met cool, and it was boss.

A story of jazz, wealth and family; 'Nica' Pannonica de Koenigswarter's life was truly one for the ages.

Monk's music, recorded live and in his prime.

Other than a crackling record on a turntable, there is perhaps nothing more satisfying to a jazz aficionado than the release of never-before-heard material from a great player.

While jazz’s complexity cannot be denied, much of the music remains accessible to all. The trick is just finding the right tunes and artists, those who have a universal appeal beyond the scope of the typical, admittedly somewhat limited, jazz audience.

The Ali Jackson Trio celebrates Dizzy Gillespie's birthday this week at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center with the help of some special guests.

No matter how many times it gets reissued, a great album is still a great album. Monk's Music will never sound anything short of terrific.

In between stays at mental institutions for schizophrenia, Powell left behind a remarkable legacy. Sadly, he hasn’t received the same widespread admiration that his close friend Thelonious Monk secured. But to true fans of the jazz genre, Powell is revered.

A fine overview, but given the breadth of the artist's Riverside and Prestige catalogs, it's hard to shake the sense that this collection conceals at least as much as it reveals

Conspicuously absent from PM’s list of the best nonfiction for 2009 is Robin D. G. Kelly’s comprehensive biography of the high priest of bop, Thelonious Sphere Monk.

Though jazz is equally, if not more, fundamental to the American psyche as baseball, we, unfortunately, don’t pay our dues as devoutly as to those on the diamond.

The vintage, never-before-released outing from the a high point of Monk's career

Monk, after a while, begins to remind you of a wily raconteur, retelling a funny story that you’ve never heard before.

The classic studio meetings between Monk (teacher) and Coltrane (student), still tantalizing and uneven.