Liner notes by Bill Evans
recorded in March & October 1964.
1. Teo;
2. Liza;
3. Just One Way To
Say I Love You;
4. That Old Man;
5. April in Paris;
6. Just You, Just
Me;
7. Pannonica;
* Thelonious
Monk - piano.
* Charlie Rouse
- tenor.
* Larry Gales -
bass.
* Ben Riley -
drums.
Thelonious Monk is an example of an exceptionally uncorrupted
creative talent. He has accepted the challenges that one must accept to forge a
music utilizing the jazz process. Because he lacks, perhaps fortunately,
exposure to the Western classical music tradition or, for that matter,
comprehensive exposure to any music other than jazz and American popular music,
his reflections of formal superficialities and their replacement with
fundamental structure has resulted in a unique and astoundingly pure music.
Make no mistake. This man knows exactly what he is doing in a
theoretical way - organized, more than likely, in a personal terminology, but
strongly organized nevertheless. We can be further grateful to him for
combining aptitude, insight, drive, compassion, fantasy, and whatever else
makes the "total" artist, and we should also be grateful for such
direct speech in an age of insurmountable conformist pressures.
In a recent 'Down Beat' Blindfold Test, I was played a
Thelonious Monk track. I might repeat here part of my reaction: Monk approaches
the piano and, I should add right now, music as well, from an "angle"
that, although unprecedented, is just the right "angle" for him.
Perhaps this is the major reason for my feeling the same respect and admiration
for his work that I do for Erroll Garner's, though they might seem poles apart
to the casual listener. Each seems to me as great as any man can be great if he
works true to his talents, neither over nor underestimating them and, most
important, functions within his limitations.
You will experience an absolutely inimitable performance when
you listen to this recording and bless the beauty of the fact that there just
ain't no other like it. To exemplify this is a noble accomplishment and
testimony to an exceptional, worthwhile life.
BILL EVANS.