Thelonious Monk's Prestige recordings (reissued on three LP-length CDs) have been somewhat neglected through the years but, with the exception of a date for Vogue, they are the only documentation that exists of the unique pianist-composer's work as a leader during the latter half of 1952 through 1954. This set has four numbers (including
Monk's originals "Wee See," "Locomotive" and the catchy "Hackensack") featuring
Monk with trumpeter
Ray Copeland (an underrated player), tenor saxophonist
Frank Foster, bassist
Curly Russell and drummer
Art Blakey. However it is "Let's Call This" and the two versions of "Think of One" that are best-known, for
Monk teams up with the French horn wizard
Julius Watkins, bassist
Percy Heath, drummer
Willie Jones and the great tenor
Sonny Rollins. Every
Thelonious Monk recording is well worth getting although this one is not quite essential. ~ Scott Yanow