Thelonous Monk – Misterioso

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A post-bop masterpiece from a chieftain of Jazz’s most enigmatic age, Thelonous Monk’s Misterioso represents both a high point and an impressive emergence from instability. Reinventing after a dip in popularity and energy, Monk presented two incredibly charged albums in 1958. The live set, recorded with drummer Roy Haynes, bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin is unique in its energy.
Monk’s piano is certainly at its most incredible, but its the saxophone of Griffin that really stands out, illuminating the links between bop and a new form of Free Jazz that would eventually emerge.