This 1963 release is the first album Monk issued on Columbia Records. The quartet featured tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, bassist John Ore, and drummer Frankie Dunlop. 180 gram vinyl.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Legendary pianist and composer Thelonious Monk made his earliest recordings as a leader for Blue Note in 1947-48 as heard on the 1956 compilation Genius of Modern Music, Volume One (Blue Note 1510), released as part of the 1500 series featuring timeless Monk compositions including "'Round Midnight," "Ruby My Dear," "In Walked Bud," and "Well You Needn't." Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.

Brilliant Corners is an exceptional example of Monk's distinctive approach to jazz, which was characterized by angular melodies, unusual chord progressions, complex rhythms, and an idiosyncratic sense of timing. The title track, "Brilliant Corners," for example, was so intricate that it took multiple takes to complete, and the musicians found it challenging to follow it's unconventional structure. This difficulty speaks to Monk's originality and his pushing the boundaries of what jazz could be at the time. The LP is one of Thelonious Monk's most acclaimed and influential albums, recorded in 1956 and released in 1957. It stands as a cornerstone in Monk's discography, showcasing his innovative approach to jazz composition and performance, and is often regarded as one of his finest works. Upon it's release, Brilliant Corners was met with widespread critical acclaim and remains a significant album in jazz history and helped solidify Monk's status as one of the great innovators of modern jazz. It was a breakthrough album for Monk commercially as well, attracting attention from jazz critics and listeners who were beginning to appreciate his genius more widely. Today, Brilliant Corners is considered an essential jazz record, often cited as one of the greatest jazz albums of all time: musicians like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and Eric Dolphy were influenced by Monk's ability to push the boundaries of jazz without losing it's essence. The album is not just a masterwork in Thelonious Monk's discography but a pivotal moment in the evolution of modern jazz.

Limited edition of 2500 numbered copies on crystal clear 180-gram audiophile vinyl. Thelonious Monk once famously said "the piano ain't got no wrong notes", and this mantra is evident in his playing: full of angular, challenging harmonies combined with a harsh and percussive technique. Though his style of playing was unorthodox, he could also play runs and arpeggios with great speed and accuracy. All in all Monk would prove to be a long-lasting influence on jazz piano. All this is highlighted on 1967's Straight, No Chaser, Monk's sixth album for Columbia. On it, you'll find the album's namesake "Straight, No Chaser", a composition by Thelonious himself that became one of the most important blues-based standards in the jazz repertoire. Furthermore, the album features "Japanese Folk Song", a two-century old tune that Ryan Gosling's character is practicing in the movie La La Land. Charlie Rouse plays the tenor saxophone and the liner notes are writing by jazz writer and producer Orrin Keepnews.

Double vinyl LP pressing. Taken from the notable Thanksgiving Jazz benefit concert in 1957 (which also featured the likes of Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie), Blue Note/UMe reissue this classic Thelonious Monk Quartet recording on double vinyl to commemorate the album's 60th anniversary. Covering two separate sets from the evening, the recording documents the blossoming relationship between Monk and John Coltrane. The Thanksgiving Jazz concert was produced by Kenneth Lee Karpe for the Morningside Community Center in Harlem. The tape was stored at the Library of Congress where it sat untouched, until 2005 when it was discovered by recording lab supervisor Larry Appelbaum. The recording was then restored by producer Michael Cuscuna and T.S. Monk (Thelonious Monk's son).