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Album focus - Underground

Donald Macleod and Brian Priestley conclude their exploration of the life of jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk with a focus on one of his great albums, Underground.

Today, presenter Donald Macleod and guest Brian Priestley conclude their celebration the centenary of jazz legend Thelonious Monk with a focus on a single album, Underground. It's a classic, regularly appearing in lists of 'must-have' jazz albums. Released in 1968, at a time of profound civic unrest and upheaval in the USA, the record immediately draws attention to itself through its uncompromising sleeve, which casts Monk in the role of jazz renegade freedom fighter. The music, while evincing Monk's trademark idiosyncrasy and visionary individuality, is far from agitprop, featuring a wide range of touching and colourful biographical portraits.

Thelonious
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

Ugly Beauty
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

Raise Four
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

Boo Boo's Birthday
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

Easy Street (Alan Rankin Jones)
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

Green Chimneys
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

In Walked Bud (Thelonious Monk/Jon Hendricks)
Jon Hendricks, vocals
Thelonious Monk, piano
Charlie Rouse, tenor sax
Larry Gales, bass
Ben Riley, drums

Little Rootie Tootie
Thelonious Monk, piano
Thelonious Monk Orchestra.

1 hour

Last on

Fri 24 Nov 2017 12:00

Music Played

  • Thelonious Monk & Ben Riley

    Thelonious

    • Underground.
    • CBS.
    • 1.
  • Thelonious Monk

    Ugly Beauty

    Performer: Thelonious Monk. Performer: Larry Gales. Performer: Ben Riley.
    • Underground.
    • CBS.
    • 2.
  • Thelonious Monk

    Raise Four

    Performer: Thelonious Monk. Performer: Larry Gales. Performer: Ben Riley.
    • Underground.
    • CBS.
    • 3.
  • Thelonious Monk & Ben Riley

    Boo Boo's Birthday

    • Underground.
    • CBS.
    • 4.
  • Thelonious Monk & Ben Riley

    Green Chimneys

    • Underground.
    • CBS.
    • 6.
  • Thelonious Monk & Ben Riley

    In Walked Bud

    • Underground.
    • CBS.
    • 6.
  • Pepper Adams, Donald Byrd, Eddie Bert, Robert Northern, Jay McAllister, Thelonious Monk, Art Taylor & Phil Woods

    Little Rootie Tootie

    • The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall.
    • Riverside.
    • 4.

Broadcast

  • Fri 24 Nov 2017 12:00

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