Brilliant Corners cover

Brilliant Corners

Released

The title track on this 1957 album by Thelonious Monk is one of the best demonstrations of his unique and highly idiosyncratic genius as a composer: the melody is crooked and wayward, but weirdly lyrical at the same time; the head is organized oddly, shifting back and forth between a rather ponderous exposition of the theme and a joyfully swinging double-time rendition of it. It was so difficult for his sidemen that the final recording was eventually created by splicing together parts of multiple takes. And that’s just the opening track. The rest of the album is just as difficult, brilliant, and fun.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Other People cover

Other People

John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Hugo Wolf Quartett
Iron Man cover

Iron Man

Eric Dolphy
House on Hill cover

House on Hill

Brad Mehldau
Monk. cover

Monk.

Thelonious Monk
Footprints Live! cover

Footprints Live!

Wayne Shorter
The Vigil cover

The Vigil

Chick Corea
Day Trip cover

Day Trip

Christian McBride, Pat Metheny, Antonio Sánchez
Damaged in Transit cover

Damaged in Transit

Steve Swallow, Adam Nussbaum, Chris Potter