Comments for Monk, Thelonious, The Blue Note Years - The Best of Thelonius Monk

A sparkling collection of one of the greatest of all jazz composers. Monk played many of these tunes for the rest of his life, and they''re worth it. Many of the versions heard here are for me the definitive readings of them. My only beef is that it omits one of my faves, "Introspection" with its great interaction with Art Blakey. A nearly perfect collection that shows how Monk could simultaneously be the darling of the mainstream, who could tone down the sharper points of his fiercely melodic music, and the avant-garde, who could make its rough edges rougher. The 4-disc Complete Blue Note Recordings is a worthwhile investment, but this is the place to start for any interested in Monk. Or in jazz.