Thelonious Monk – The Unique Thelonious Monk

Monk’s second album for Riverside continued the label’s initial plan to broaden his audience by the use of recognizable standard tunes instead of his somewhat frightening originals. Thelonious’ uncompromising performances, along with major league support (Art Blakey and Oscar Pettiford) and strong material, helped to turn this concept into lastingly superior jazz. Particularly notable are Monk’s sharp thrusts of humor on such well-worn pieces as “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Tea for Two.” The album’s impact was strengthened by one of the most unique covers ever devised. Riverside went so far as to print near-postage-sized Monk stamps, quite a few of which reportedly found their way through the actual mail.