Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners [Mono] (Analogue Productions Fantasy Series 45 RPM Edition)

(AAA) — Lacquers cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray & Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering.

Monk's third Riverside album — the first to include horns and emphasize his original compositions — is recognized as the first major step in his rise from being considered a mere eccentric to rightful acceptance as a true jazz giant. Brilliant Corners has an all-star cast — featuring Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, and Clark Terry — and it took real stars to master some of Thelonious' most difficult and brilliant music.

"Here is my blanket recommendation of all of Analogue Productions' 45rpm jazz vinyl reissues. Record collectors always argue about the relative merits of reissues vs. originals. With the Analogue Productions series, it is much more clear-cut. The 33rpms sound damn close to the originals, only with quieter surfaces. The 45s, however, are in another league. Of the dozen I've sampled, every one reveals drop-dead transparency, detail, and a sense of bloom that is reminiscent of a studio master tape. My favorite is this, Monk's third Riverside album. Although the recording emphasizes Monk's originals in horn-ensemble settings, I'm hooked on his solo reading of the standard 'I Surrender Dear.' Even on affordable speakers, Monk's right there in the room with me." - Robert J. Reina, Stereophile, February 2005

(Above description from AcousticSounds.com)