1957 · Album
Mulligan Meets Monk
Recorded 1957 · Riverside Records · Produced by Orrin Keepnews
Two Minds, One Easy Swing
Monk's angular piano and Mulligan's warm baritone meet in a relaxed, conversational session that rewards repeated listening.
Mulligan Meets Monk opens with the sound of two very different players finding a common groove. Gerry Mulligan's baritone saxophone carries a warm, rounded tone that sits low and easy, while Thelonious Monk's piano strikes its notes with the sharp, deliberate angles he is known for. The rhythm section keeps things loose and swinging, with Wilbur Ware on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums giving the front line room to stretch without ever pushing too hard. The tempos are mostly unhurried, and the overall mood is conversational rather than showy.
The pairing works better than it has any right to on paper. Mulligan was a cool-school player with a light, melodic approach, and Monk was a difficult, idiosyncratic pianist who rarely played it straight. What they share is a sense of humor about the music and a willingness to let the other player set the pace. Monk's comping is sparse and unpredictable, which gives Mulligan space to phrase in long, unhurried lines, and Mulligan's smoothness gives Monk's odd intervals a place to land. Listen to how the two of them trade ideas and you hear a genuine dialogue rather than a featured soloist with backing.
For listeners new to either musician, this is an accessible entry point. It is not Monk's most adventurous record, and it is not Mulligan's most ambitious, but it is a pleasant and well-played session that shows both men at ease. AllMusic reviewer Stacia Proefrock gave it a strong recommendation, and it remains a fine example of Monk working outside his own quartet. Start here if you want to hear Monk in a more relaxed setting, then move on to his trio and quartet records for the full range of his playing.
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More by Thelonious Monk
All 22 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
