1963 · Album
Criss-Cross
Recorded Unverified · Columbia Records · Produced by Unverified
Monk's Quartet Sharpening Old Songs
Charlie Rouse's tenor gives Monk's reworked compositions a fresh, muscular edge on this quartet session.
Charlie Rouse is the musician who makes Criss-Cross distinctive. Rouse had joined Thelonious Monk's group around this period and by 1963 was a steady, unfussy presence on tenor saxophone. His lines sit comfortably inside Monk's angular writing, and he plays with a directness that keeps the material grounded rather than letting it drift into abstraction. On this record he is the voice that carries most of the melodic weight in the front line.
The album consists of Monk compositions that had appeared before, re-recorded for Columbia by the quartet with John Ore on double bass, Frankie Dunlop on drums, and Monk himself on piano. Because the tunes are familiar, the interest lies in how the group approaches them. Monk's piano remains quirky and spacious, but the rhythm section keeps a steady pulse, and Rouse pushes the ensemble forward with clear, confident phrasing. The results sound lively and playful rather than austere.
Critics have been fairly kind to the record. All About Jazz gave it four stars out of five, and it sits comfortably in the middle of Monk's catalogue. It is not the place to start with Monk, but it is a solid, enjoyable entry for listeners who already know his work and want to hear his compositions played by a tight quartet with a strong tenor voice.
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