Thelonious Monk “Brilliant Corners” (1957)

With four of the five selections here being originals, Brilliant Corners displays the pianist's obsession with knotty, jagged melodies that leap around in unpredictable ways, be it on the segmented, abrasive title track, the obviously bluesy "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are," the ragged ballad "Pannonica," which features Monk simultaneously playing a bell-like celeste and piano, and the bold bounce of "Bemsha Swing." The sidemen, including Sonny Rollins, settle in to the compositions admirably, taking inspiration from Monk's idiosyncratic approach, and there's a sense of freedom in their solos despite the songs' atypical nature. A great example of one of the most original voices in classic jazz. –Ben