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Buy the album. When you get a combination as in Duke Ellington played by Thelonius Monk, it's a combo that's hard to beat.
This crystal clear recording features a number of the Duke's biggest hits, with Monk stomping and two-note-interval-ing them into a whole different sound. Everyone has an interpretation of Duke Ellington's work, and everyone has an interpretation of Monk's work. A choice selection for the jazz enthusiast, this will also round out any popular music collection with familar tunes in different sorts of renderings. You won't find many recordings as interesting and as repeat-playable as this one. So what's a jazz fan to make of one of the legendary pianists of all time taking on one of the greatest jazz composers of all time. Just sit back and let the Monkisms of the Duke roll over your brain and massage it into complete submission.
Now, wouldn't it have been neat to have the reverse of this as well. I thought this was a fine album. I'd love to hear Duke play HIS version of "Straight, No Chaser" or "'Round Midnight" with a combo or even his big band. You know,"Duke Ellington Plays Thelonious Monk". I agree with some reviewers that this was not Monk "unleashed." Still, it's neat to hear one master interpret the work of another. That's what you get here.
As an untried talent, I read the record companies wanted Monk to come out with something "safe." It's painful hearing Monk accommodate with playing somebody else's stuff--even if that someone is Ellington. Insipid.
What better for such a man than the music of the Duke. Underneath everything else Monk's roots were as a stride player and a composer. No, this doesn't have the nice scratchy corners of some of Monk's other work, but it is beautiful nonetheless, and isn't that the point. For what it's worth, according to Monk's son (drummer T.S.Monk) this was Monk's favorite of his own recordings. When you hear hear it you might understand why.
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