The Unique Thelonious Monk

为了扭转外界对有著异于常人的古怪脾气且弹奏风格有著矜奇及冷调疏离感的钢琴手泰隆尼斯‧孟克之刻板印象，他于1955年加盟Riverside厂牌后所发行的首张作品便在制作人欧林‧奇普纽斯企画下，特别选择艾灵顿公爵的创作为音乐主轴，透过耳熟能详的旋律演绎，让乐评及乐迷重新认识世俗中的怪人孟克。他于1956年在该厂牌所录制的第二张专辑“独一无二”，依然承继首张专辑的音乐走向，曲目皆为演绎标准曲及抒情曲；合作乐手则为低音提琴手奥斯卡‧彼特佛及鼓手亚特‧布雷基，採三重奏编制演奏。音乐呈现裡大幅减少独创一格的孟克式不和谐语彙，取而代之的是灵活跃动的曼妙琴音，即便偶尔出现些许以往惯常的停顿和留白，巧妙的妆点实则丰富了旋律性及增添了韵致感，聆听他诠释“You Are Too Beautiful”一曲，其铺陈琴音彷彿羽绒般的柔软滑顺，飘逸洒脱，清新脱俗！

The seven-song Unique Thelonious Monk (1956) platter was the pianist's second during his remarkable five-year tenure on Riverside. His debut for the label was the aptly titled Plays Duke Ellington (1955) and once again, on this disc, Monk's song selection did not feature any original compositions. Rather, the well-chosen standards included exemplify and help further establish the pianist and bandleader within the context of familiar melodies at the head of a trio -- consisting of Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Art Blakey (drums). Regarding the personnel, while Pettiford had also accompanied Monk on the Ellington sides, Blakey replaces Kenny Clarke. The pairing of Monk and Blakey cannot be overstated. Immediately, evidence of their uncanny instrumental interaction is the rhythmic focal point of "Liza, All the Clouds'll Roll Away" as the two play musical cat-and-mouse. They cajole and wheedle atop Pettiford's undulating undercurrent as it sonically corals their skilled syncopation and otherwise inspired mile-a-minute interjections. This is starkly contrast to the haunting, lyrical piano solo on "Memories of You." Monk infuses the piece with such profound ingenuity and integrity that his re-evaluation and innovative arrangement are singularly and undeniably his own. Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" reels with a frolicking and ever-so-slightly inebriated gate. It is likewise highlighted by Monk's dreamlike single-note runs up and down the keyboard and the stride piano-style chord progressions that preserves a fluidity within the tune. The advanced score maintains a guise of almost goofy abandon w