AMG Review of Monk.

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

The Thelonious Monk Quartet of 1964 (comprised of the pianist-composer, tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, bassist Larry Gales, and drummer Ben Riley) is well featured on this excellent set which is augmented by two "new" alternate takes ("April in Paris" and "Pannonica") plus a medley of "Just You, Just Me" and "Liza" that was out previously on a sampler. The unique Monk takes "I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams" as a piano solo and otherwise jams tunes with his quartet. Surprisingly only two of the songs ("Pannonica" and "Teo") are his originals, but he reinvents the obscure "Children's Song," "Just You, Just Me," and "April in Paris" so they sound like he wrote them! Easily recommended to Monk fans, this set is just further proof that he never made an unworthy recording.