Thelonious Monk-Brilliant Corners (1957)

"Brilliant Corners" was Thelonious Monk's ninth solo album, recorded for the Riverside label in 1956 in New York and released the following year. With this recording, Monk began to be considered a pioneer of modern jazz, after years of being misunderstood by critics and fans due to his experimental avant-garde approach. "Brilliant Corners" not only produced one of his best works but also one of the greatest recordings in jazz history. For this recording, Monk surrounded himself with a stellar cast of musicians, including Max Roach, Clark Terry, Paul Chambers, Sonny Rollins, and Ernie Henry. Most of the melodies on this album are based on relaxed, mid-tempo blues, beginning with the tour de force title track, a song ahead of its time due to its tremendous dynamism. The avant-garde jazz-blues "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" or the delicate ballad "Pannonica" showcase Monk's poise on the piano keys, while the Afro-Caribbean "Bemsha Swing" returns to its experimental side alongside Sonny Rollins' saxophone, who, through Monk's challenging piano sequences, displays his sublime talent with the saxophone.