Criss Cross (album)
Encyclopedia
Criss Cross is Thelonious Monk
's 26th album and his second with Columbia Records
. The album consists of previously released Monk compositions that were re-recorded and re-released under Columbia Records by the Thelonious Monk Quintet.
", to which he replied, "Maybe, it depends on how I feel when I get there." Monk recorded his solo version of "Don't Blame Me" right after arriving at the studio.
Criss Cross is a swing influenced bop
album featuring complex melodies and harmonies, Monk's unique style of stride piano
, and his unique ideas on pitch qualities for his improvisations. The title track "Criss Cross" is one of his more critically acclaimed compositions. For this recording, Monk cut out two bars from the original music in order to speed up the overall feel of the piece. It also features Monk's highly personal use of rhythmic displacement. "Eronel" is a distinctly bop tune that is fast-paced and showcases Monk's virtuousic stride style piano playing. The track "Crepuscule with Nellie" was a piece Monk had written for his wife.
Criss Cross is an album in Monk's career that represents his slow decline throughout the late 1960s until his death. Rumors of mental illness were common, especially considering his erratic and playful style of improvisation. At this point in his career, Monk released very few new compositions, mostly just re-workings of old tunes for big label release under Columbia Records.
The track "Pannonica" is available only on CD re-issue and named for Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter.
CD reissue bonus track:
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
's 26th album and his second with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. The album consists of previously released Monk compositions that were re-recorded and re-released under Columbia Records by the Thelonious Monk Quintet.
History
Monk was known for his uniquely playful jazz style that centered around playing notes that did not always correspond to the particular chord or key that being played by the rest of the band. Before entering the studio to record this album, a journalist reportedly asked Monk if he would be recording a new solo rendition of the classic song "Don't Blame MeDon't Blame Me (song)
"Don't Blame Me" is a popular song with music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was published in 1933.The song received two significant "rock era" remakes: a mellow ballad version by the Everly Brothers, released by Warner Bros...
", to which he replied, "Maybe, it depends on how I feel when I get there." Monk recorded his solo version of "Don't Blame Me" right after arriving at the studio.
Criss Cross is a swing influenced bop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
album featuring complex melodies and harmonies, Monk's unique style of stride piano
Stride piano
Harlem Stride Piano, Stride Piano, or just Stride, is a jazz piano style that was developed in the large cities of the East Coast, mainly in the New York, during 1920s and 1930s. The left hand may play a four-beat pulse with a single bass note, octave, seventh or tenth interval on the first and...
, and his unique ideas on pitch qualities for his improvisations. The title track "Criss Cross" is one of his more critically acclaimed compositions. For this recording, Monk cut out two bars from the original music in order to speed up the overall feel of the piece. It also features Monk's highly personal use of rhythmic displacement. "Eronel" is a distinctly bop tune that is fast-paced and showcases Monk's virtuousic stride style piano playing. The track "Crepuscule with Nellie" was a piece Monk had written for his wife.
Criss Cross is an album in Monk's career that represents his slow decline throughout the late 1960s until his death. Rumors of mental illness were common, especially considering his erratic and playful style of improvisation. At this point in his career, Monk released very few new compositions, mostly just re-workings of old tunes for big label release under Columbia Records.
The track "Pannonica" is available only on CD re-issue and named for Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter.
Track listing
All songs composed by Thelonious Monk unless otherwise noted.- "Hackensack" – 4:12
- "Tea for TwoTea for Two (song)"Tea for Two" is a song from the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar. It is a duet sung by Nanette and Tom in Act II as they imagine their future.-Analysis:...
" (Vincent YoumansVincent YoumansVincent Youmans was an American popular composer and Broadway producer.- Life :Vincent Millie Youmans was born in New York City on September 27, 1898 and grew-up on Central Park West on the site where the Mayflower Hotel once stood. His father, a prosperous hat manufacturer, moved the family to...
, Irving CaesarIrving CaesarIrving Caesar was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for "Swanee," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Tea for Two," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written. He was born and died in New York.Caesar, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew, was...
) – 3:46 - "Criss Cross" – 4:52
- "Eronel" (Monk, Idrees SuliemanIdrees SuliemanIdrees Sulieman was a bop and hard bop trumpeter. He studied at Boston Conservatory, and gained early experience playing with the Carolina Cotton Pickers and the wartime Earl Hines Orchestra...
, Sadik HakimSadik HakimSadik Hakim was an American jazz pianist and composer....
) – 4:29 - "Rhythm-A-Ning" – 3:53
- "Don't Blame MeDon't Blame Me (song)"Don't Blame Me" is a popular song with music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. The song was published in 1933.The song received two significant "rock era" remakes: a mellow ballad version by the Everly Brothers, released by Warner Bros...
" (Jimmy McHughJimmy McHughJames Francis McHugh was a U.S. composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he composed over 270 songs...
, Dorothy FieldsDorothy FieldsDorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
) – 7:04 - "Think of One" – 5:17
- "Crepuscule with Nellie" – 2:45
CD reissue bonus track:
- "Pannonica" – 6:46
Personnel
- Thelonious MonkThelonious MonkThelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
— pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Charlie RouseCharlie RouseCharlie Rouse was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by the collaboration for more than ten years with Thelonious Monk.- Biography :...
— tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - John OreJohn OreJohn Ore is an American jazz bassist.Ore attended the New School of Music in Philadelphia from 1943-46, studying cello, and followed this with studies on bass at Juilliard....
— bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Frankie DunlopFrankie DunlopFrancis "Frankie" Dunlop is an American jazz drummer.Dunlop grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at age nine and drums at ten. He was playing professionally by age 16 and received some classical education in percussion...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | The Billboard 200 | 127 |