As Good As It Gets
Richard W. Cutler | 11/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is, all in all, remarkably demanding music that for all its complexity swings the house down. I can only echo the praise other reviewers have heaped upon this extraordinary concert. As good as all the soloists are, Monk simply defines himself in a separate class, an orchestra unto himself. "Four In One," with its scoring of Monk's recorded solo, is the premier track, but one cannot overlook "Evidence" --one of the most remarkable minimalist compositions of modern music in any idiom-- which thrives from Monk's conclusion of his solo with the rhythmic riff picked up by the entire band. And who but Monk could resurrect "Darkness on the Delta," a song not recorded for thirty years at the time of this concert?"