The individualist/pianist solos for three choruses, each discretely original in conception and execution. It's instructive to hear the "real" Monk emerge on "Happy," allowing the beat to establish itself before he plays off of and around it, making the piano another polyrhythmic, percussive voiceas opposed to a solo voice accompanied by rhythm section or simply another member of the accompanying team itself. The proceedings are enjoyable, frequently original and illuminating, but not as miraculous as some reviews of earlier editions have suggested. This leaves but two tunes, "I Want to Be Happy and "Friday the 13th, on which the two strong musical personalities seek to negotiate a happy result. On the opening "Way You Look Tonight Monk's solo is a mere half chorusplayed in a fairly conventional bebop style. Rollins and Monk play together on three of the five tracks on the album, which comprises three separate sessions recorded between November 1953 and September 1954. Regardless, this early meeting of masters, while yielding music of undeniable historical significance and timeless interest, is no match for the later one. Since a 50th Anniversary edition of this recording was released only several years ago, it's possible that this recent RVG edition was seen by the parent company, Concord, as an opportunity to capitalize on the successcritical and popularof the Monk/Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert (Blue Note, 2005).
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