Given the plethora of live recordings made of Thelonious Monk in the 1960s (when everyone suddenly seemed to recognize his genius 20-plus years after he began composing and playing), this compilation provides a valuable service in bringing together the best of those performances. Between 1961 and 1965 Monk toured regularly with a quartet that featured Charlie Rouse on tenor sax and a revolving bassist and drummer, and was particularly well received (and documented) in Europe. MONK 'ROUND THE WORLD collects seven tracks from those years.
The tunes are among Monk's best, and have rightfully become standards--they will be familiar to anyone with a knowledge of classic jazz. The sprightly, angular sections of Epistrophy, the stealthy groove-prowl of Blue Monk, the beautiful ballad Ruby, My Dear, and the witty, spastic Rhythm-A-Ning are included here in excellent versions. The three quartets featured (with Monk and Rouse the constants) display stellar rapport, exploring the quirks and possibilities of Monk's songs. The disc comes with a bonus DVD of in-concert footage, making this a definitive document/package of latter-period Monk.
