Thelonious Himself

by Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Himself cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: October 1957
  • Label: Riverside
  • Country: United States
  • Community rating: 3.57/5 from 2 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Exposing his highly idiosyncratic, heavily dissonant style in a nakedly unaccompanied setting, this solo piano recording highlights the immense structural logic behind the composer's eccentricity. Stripped of a rhythm section, his dramatic use of space, jarring rhythmic displacement, and stride-inflected roots take center stage. The deeply introspective, highly demanding session concludes with a historic, nine-minute trio rendition of 'Monk's Mood' featuring John Coltrane.

Genres

Descriptors: instrumental, minimalistic, improvisation

Tracklist

  1. April In Paris
  2. Ghost Of A Chance
  3. Functional
  4. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
  5. I Should Care
  6. 'Round Midnight
  7. All Alone
  8. Monk's Mood

Credits

  • Thelonious Monk - primary artist, piano, written-by
  • E.Y. Harburg - written-by
  • Vernon Duke - written-by
  • Bing Crosby - written-by
  • Ned Washington - written-by
  • Victor Young - written-by
  • George Bassman - written-by
  • Axel Stordahl - written-by

More from Thelonious Monk: full discography