{"product_id":"thelonious-monk-monks-blues-blue-holland-import","title":"Thelonious Monk - Monk's Blues [Blue Holland Import]","description":"\u003cp\u003eMonk's Blues is one of the more unusual chapters in Thelonious Monk's story, his classic tunes rearranged for a full big band, and this limited pressing comes on blue 180-gram vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded in Los Angeles in November 1968 with producer Teo Macero, the album paired Monk's working quartet, featuring longtime saxophonist Charlie Rouse, with a band of top West Coast players including guitarist Howard Roberts and saxophonist Tom Scott. Oliver Nelson, best known for The Blues and the Abstract Truth, wrote and conducted the charts, wrapping Monk's angular melodies in rich, brassy orchestration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Let's Cool One\" opens the album and shows how well the idea works, the horns giving Monk's quirky phrasing a wide, cinematic frame. \"Reflections\" turns one of his loveliest ballads into a lush showcase, while \"Brilliant Corners\", famously tricky for any band, gets a bold reworking. \"Rootie Tootie\" brings out his playful, bouncing side.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough it all, Monk's piano cuts through like nobody else's, every unexpected chord and well-placed pause intact amid the bigger sound. The contrast between his spare touch and Nelson's full arrangements is what makes the record so distinctive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor collectors who know the classic small-group records, this offers a fascinating alternative angle on some very familiar songs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alliance Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57269574205745,"sku":"8719262030732","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0704\/2026\/7313\/files\/Thelonious_Monk-Monks_Blues_Blue_Holland_Import.jpg?v=1793641280","url":"https:\/\/vinyl.com\/products\/thelonious-monk-monks-blues-blue-holland-import","provider":"Vinyl.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}