Brilliant Corners
Brilliant Corners | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 4, 1957 | |||
Recorded | October 9, October 15, and December 7, 1956 | |||
Genre | Hard bop | |||
Length | 42:47 | |||
Label | Riverside | |||
Producer | Orrin Keepnews | |||
Thelonious Monk chronology | ||||
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Brilliant Corners is a
Recording
The album was recorded in three sessions in late 1956 with two different quintets. "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-Are" and "Pannonica", on which Monk played the celeste, were recorded on October 9 with saxophonists Ernie Henry and Sonny Rollins, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Max Roach. The former composition was titled as a phonetic rendering of Monk's exaggerated pronunciation of "Blue Bolivar Blues", which referred to the Bolivar Hotel where Pannonica de Koenigswarter resided; Monk had met her during his first trip to Europe in 1954.[1]
On October 15, Monk attempted to record the title track with the same band during a four-hour session. The complexity of the title track became a challenge for Monk's sidemen, who attempted twenty-five takes, and led to tension between him and Henry, who nearly broke down mentally, and Pettiford, who exchanged harsh words with Monk during the session. Monk tried to make it easier on Henry by not playing during his alto solo.[1] During one of the takes, producer Orrin Keepnews and others in the control room could not hear Pettiford's playing and checked his bass microphone for a malfunction, but ultimately realized that he was pantomiming his playing.[2] Without a completed single take, Keepnews ultimately pieced together the album version from multiple takes.[1]
On December 7, "Bemsha Swing" was recorded with Paul Chambers on bass and trumpeter Clark Terry, who replaced Henry, and Monk recorded a solo piano version of "I Surrender, Dear".[1]
Composition
The title track has an unconventional
"Bemsha Swing" was the only composition on the album that Monk had recorded in a previous version.
Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
According to
Legacy
In 2003, Brilliant Corners was one of fifty recordings chosen that year by the
Track listing
All tracks written by Thelonious Monk except where noted
Side One
- "Brilliant Corners" - 7:42
- "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" - 13:24
Side Two
- "Pannonica" - 8:50
- "I Surrender, Dear" (Harry Barris) - 5:25
- "Bemsha Swing" (Thelonious Monk, Denzil Best) - 7:42
Personnel
Musicians
- Thelonious Monk – piano; piano and celeste on "Pannonica", solo piano on I Surrender Dear
- Ernie Henry – alto saxophone on "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" and in ensemble on "Pannonica"
- Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone (except "I Surrender Dear")
- Oscar Pettiford – double bass on "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" and "Pannonica"
- Max Roach – drums (except "I Surrender Dear"); timpani on "Bemsha Swing"
- Clark Terry – trumpet on "Bemsha Swing"
- Paul Chambers – double bass on "Bemsha Swing"
Production
- Orrin Keepnews – producer
- Jack Higgins – engineer
- Joe Tarantino – mastering
References
- ^ a b c d e f Mathieson 2012, p. 176.
- ^ Mathieson 2012, p. 177.
- ^ Hall, Tony (March 29, 1958). "Ultra-tough and muscular". Disc. No. 8. p. 19.
- ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Jazz (1940–50s) (Reference)". tomhull.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- ^ "THELONIOUS MONK - BRILLIANT CORNERS ★★★★". Jazzwise. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
- ^ "Thelonius Monk: Brilliant Corners – 1957's most praised LP". Down Beat. 24 (21–26). Chicago: 27. December 12, 1957.
- ^ van der Bliek et al. 2001, p. 89.
- ^ Rosenthal 1993, p. 132.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (December 13, 2009). "Not So Misterioso". The Barnes & Noble Review. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- Allmusic. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
- ISBN 9781844036240. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
Bibliography
- Mathieson, Kenny (2012). Giant Steps: Bebop And The Creators Of Modern Jazz, 1945–65. ISBN 978-0857866172.
- ISBN 0195358996. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
- van der Bliek, Rob, ed. (2001). "Brilliant Corners and Riverside". The Thelonious Monk Reader. ISBN 0199761477. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
Further reading
- Fordham, John (August 30, 2011). "My favourite album: Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk". Guardian News and Media Limited.
External links
- Brilliant Corners at Discogs (list of releases)