The Unique

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Attempting to broaden the notoriously eccentric pianist's commercial appeal, producer Orrin Keepnews deliberately designed this session to focus entirely on familiar pop standards rather than abstract originals. Operating within a standard trio format alongside Oscar Pettiford and Art Blakey, the leader radically deconstructs the familiar melodies with highly angular, deeply dissonant rhythmic displacements. The project brilliantly proved that his revolutionary harmonic genius could be successfully applied to any repertoire.