What is Monk doing underground? Well from the sounds of this album, making incredible jazz music!
Underground
This was the last Monk album to feature his classic quartet, although certainly not the last Monk album. It was recorded over three sessions; 12/14/67, 2/14/68 and 12/14/68. So although it took only three days to record, it also took a year!
The Talent
Piano - Thelonious Monk (one of my favorite jazz pianists!)
Bass - Larry Gales
Tenor Sax - Charlie Rouse (a sax player on my list with Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders and Stan Getz)
Drums - Ben Riley
Songs
Thelonious (3:13) Read the title, and you can figure out that this song is by Thelonious and features Thelonious! Monk's piano playing opens this album with its happy upbeat theme. Its a great starting point for the album, because it lets you know what kind of jazz you are getting here. If you like this piece, you'll like the rest. If you were in the mood for avante garde or romantic jazz, this piece tells you, nope, not here. Underground is a playful fun jazz album, and its seemingly simple tunes raise my spirits. You just get a mental picture of Thelonious and his friends down in the basement noodling around, having fun.
Ugly Beauty (3:17) More serious piano notes start this tune, but as soon as Rouse's sax chimes in, you know its just another fun tune. I honestly like Monk's albums as much for Charlie Rouse's saxophone as I do for Monk's piano playing! Gales bass is deep and deliberate, its slow plodding dum da dum dum anchoring the fanciful flights of Rouse and Monk.
Raise Four (5:47) This one begins very lively, with Monk pounding out the notes of a simple tune on his piano. It is so simple, yet, it just makes you want to smile. He is alone on his side of the studio here, and the drums and bass join in almost noisily compared to Monk's simple tune here. (listen close for Monk's trademark growls and mewls). Ther is no sax on this song though.
Boo Boo's Birthday (5:56) Boo Boo is the nickname of Monk's daughter. Monk's piano is very playful and starts the song. Rouse's sax flawlessly joins Monk's piano following the tune note for note, then going off on its own. This is a sprightly song that does evoke a child's birthday party. This may be Monk's song, but Rouse is the star here, his saxophone is the centerpiece of this tune.
Easy Street (5:53) A mellow rambling ditty Monk's piano just ambles along against the slow back beat of Larry Gales bass and Riley's drums. I could picture hearing this song at a quiet cocktail lounge in some upscale section of town.
Green Chimneys (9:00) This was the name of the school that Monk's daughter attended and it is perhaps my favorite track on the album, this just kicks it up a notch with highly infectious melodies and riffs. Monk and Rouse have a field day bouncing their tunes off the backdrop of bass and drums.
In Walked Bud (4:17) What's this? Vocals! and fun vocals at that! Jon Hendricks sings his own impromptu lyrics and adds an entire new dimension to Monk's inventive melody. Dizzie, he was screaming next to O.P. who was beaming! Monk was thumping, suddenly in walked Bud and then they got into somethin'!. Yes they did.
Audio Quality
I was quite impressed with the quality here. This disc was digitally remastered from the original analog recordings. I listened to it on a Meridian 506 CD player using analog outputs to a Yamaha Receiver. My speakers are Polk Audio. (The Meridian's Digital to Analog Converters are superior to anything I have listened to, and really capture every detail on a compact disc!) You can really feel the instruments here, the piano has a sense of depth and sounds beautiful. You can make out the mewling sounds that Thelonious makes when he plays his piano.
Liner Notes
How did I know so much about Monk? No, I'm no jazz expert, I just read the very well done liner notes. If I keep reading liner notes like this, I will be a jazz expert! Backgrounds on each song is laid out in the notes, as well as recording information.
My Thoughts
Well if I hadn't made it clear already, I love Monk's music, and this album is no exception. The play between Monk's piano and Rouse's incredible saxophone always lift my mood. Monk creates jazz music that even non jazz aficionados might enjoy. His music is lively and fun.
Summary
Are you sad or depressed? Just pop some Thelonious Monk into your CD player and lighten your mood! Five stars.
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