Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk

Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk is a 6CD box set by jazz pianist Frank Kimbrough that was released by the Sunnyside label in 2018.[1] The set features 70 compositions by Thelonious Monk.

Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk
Studio album by
Frank Kimbrough
ReleasedNovember 23, 2018
RecordedMay 22–24 & 28-30 and June 20, 2018
StudioMaggie's Farm Studio, Pipersville, Pennsylvania
GenreJazz
Length330:49
LabelSunnyside
SCC 4032
ProducerMatt Balitsaris
Frank Kimbrough chronology
Solstice
(2006)		 Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk
(2018)

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz[2]
All About Jazz[3]
PopMatters[4]

The All About Jazz review by Victor L. Schermer awarded the album 4 stars stating "These musicians are to be congratulated for taking on the daunting task of recording all of Monk in back-to-back sessions ... On the whole, despite its limitations, this is a serious musical accomplishment. But the truth is that no one can recapture the excitement, originality, and creativity of the original Monk recordings. One must always return to them".[2] On the same site Mark Sullivan gave the set 4​1⁄2 stars noting "These tracks are a sure attraction for Monk fans—along with the ability to hear all of Monk's compositions in one place—but they are not the only thing recommending this album. Above all else, Monk's Dream is an exemplary collection of interpretations of the compositions and playing style of Thelonious Sphere Monk—perhaps the greatest iconoclast of twentieth-century jazz".[3]

PopMatters correspondent Will Layman observed "You've never heard Monk played quite that way before. There are just enough moments like that on Monk's Dreams that you can stand to face the daunting task of hearing one man's version of every last Monk tune. Projects like this, of course, can inspire admiration more than passion. The desire to listen to the whole set at once is going to be rare, but the material is programmed with enough joy and intelligence that every disc is a stand-alone greatest hits package, with familiarity, variety, and just enough surprises".[4]

In JazzTimes, Dan Bilawsky wrote "The fact that these men had the stamina and discipline to accomplish such a feat in such a concentrated amount of time is a marvel in and of itself. And that’s to say nothing of the quality of what they created, which is incredibly high, and the level of respect within it, which runs deep. Walking a careful line, Kimbrough and his companions never obscure the master’s truths, muddy his language, or attempt to erect a revisionist playground. Fidelity is a foremost concern, as melodies, harmonies, and shape are largely honored. Kimbrough even adopts a more percussive touch than usual, hewing closer to Monk’s mannerisms. But that doesn’t mean creative thought is suppressed. This is anything but mundane Monk".[5]

Jazz Journal's Andy Hamilton said "Kimbrough’s own playing is outstanding, on occasion approaching Monk’s attack, and always aiming at the cool, compositional logic of his improvisations. ... My only cavil is that at least some of the time, the piano is slightly out of tune – not something that seriously mars a really excellent release".[6]

Track listing

All compositions by Thelonious Monk except where noted

Disc 1: Thelonious

  1. "Thelonious" – 4:51
  2. "Light Blue" – 6:15
  3. "Played Twice" – 4:41
  4. "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" – 5:00
  5. "Ask Me Now" – 5:31
  6. "Humph" – 4:36
  7. "Bright Mississippi" – 5:50
  8. "Reflections" – 5:02
  9. "Bemsha Swing" (Monk, Denzil Best) – 4:41
  10. "Teo" – 6:02
  11. "Blue Sphere" – 4:22

Disc 2: Think of One

  1. "Crepuscule with Nellie" – 2:28
  2. "Think of One" – 4:28
  3. "52nd St. Theme" (Monk, Coleman Hawkins) – 2:24
  4. "Eronel" (Monk, Idrees Sulieman, Sadik Hakim) – 5:23
  5. "Bluehawk" – 5:30
  6. "Little Rootie Tootie" – 6:07
  7. "Two Timer" – 3:17
  8. "Ruby, My Dear" – 4:39
  9. "Boo Boo's Birthday" – 5:11
  10. "San Francisco Holiday" – 5:12
  11. "Functional" – 4:24
  12. "I Mean You" (Monk, Hawkins) – 5:05

Disc 3: Brake's Sake

  1. "Shuffle Boil" – 5:42
  2. "Monk's Dream" – 5:53
  3. "Evidence" – 5:31
  4. "Misterioso" – 3:54
  5. "Four in One" – 6:00
  6. "Brake's Sake" – 5:22
  7. "Pannonica" – 4:17
  8. "Bye-Ya" – 4:28
  9. "North On the Sunset" – 2:45
  10. "Introspection" – 3:59
  11. "We See" – 4:49
  12. "In Walked Bud" – 4:10

Disc 4: Locomotive

  1. "Nutty" – 6:45
  2. "Trinkle Tinkle" – 4:35
  3. "Blues Five Spot" – 5:09
  4. "'Round Midnight" (Monk, Cootie Williams, Bernie Hanighen) – 5:23
  5. "Jackie-Ing" – 2:40
  6. "Well You Needn't" – 5:40
  7. "Sixteen" – 4:03
  8. "Locomotive" – 4:37
  9. "Gallop's Gallop" – 4:13
  10. "Children's Song" – 4:47
  11. "Blue Monk" – 6:44
  12. "Friday the 13th" – 5:18

Disc 5: Off Minor

  1. "Criss Cross" – 4:17
  2. "Raise Four" – 3:35
  3. "Let's Call This" – 5:07
  4. "Who Knows" – 3:56
  5. "A Merrier Christmas" – 3:40
  6. "Stuffy Turkey" – 5:19
  7. "Monk's Point" – 3:27
  8. "Work" – 3:23
  9. "Brilliant Corners" – 6:44
  10. "Off Minor" – 3:46
  11. "Hackensack" – 5:27
  12. "Oska T" – 3:18

Disc 6: Coming On the Hudson

  1. "Let's Cool One" – 5:57
  2. "Hornin' In" – 4:24
  3. "Coming On the Hudson" – 3:46
  4. "Straight No Chaser" – 4:46
  5. "Monk's Mood" – 5:09
  6. "Green Chimneys" – 3:28
  7. "Rhythm-A-Ning" – 5:36
  8. "Ugly Beauty" – 4:32
  9. "Skippy" – 3:41
  10. "Something in Blue" – 4:43
  11. "Epistrophy" – 4:25

Personnel

References
  1. Sunnyside Records: album entry, accessed March 15, 2019
  2. Schermer, V. L. All About Jazz Review, accessed March 15, 2019
  3. Sullivan, M. All About Jazz Review, accessed March 15, 2019
  4. Layman, W. PopMatters Review, accessed March 15, 2019
  5. Bilawsky, D. JazzTimes Review, accessed March 15, 2019
  6. Hamilton, A. Jazz Journal Review, accessed March 15, 2019
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