Jazz Biography

This Dutch Thelonious Monk compilation is an OK listen considering the years it covers. Here are some of his earliest recordings of many of his own compositions from 1947 though 1952, from "In Walked Bud," with Art Blakey and Sahib Shihab, to "Off Minor," "Well You Needn't," and "Ruby My Dear," with Blakey and bassist Gene Ramsey. These are Riverside-era cuts, and they travel through 1948 with three classic Monk compositions: "Epistrophy," "Evidence," and the sublime "Mysterioso," with Milt Jackson, Shadow Wilson, and Johnny Simmons. The year 1950 is skipped altogether and 1951 and 1952 offer "Criss-Cross," "Bemsha Swing," and others, including the semi-rare (at least on compilations) "Let's Cool Me" and "Hornin' In," from the latter year with Kenny Dorham, Lou Donaldson, Lucky Thompson, Max Roach, and Nelson Boyd. There is a short biographical essay at the beginning and the sound quality is surprisingly good. This is a great buy for the money and is a fitting brief introduction to Monk at the very beginning.