Thelonious Sphere Monk

Thelonious Sphere Monk is a cosmic journey through the Thelonious Monk songbook, created in celebration of Monk’s centennial. MAST reinterprets sixteen compositions—from “’Round Midnight,” “Blue Monk” and “Straight, No Chaser” to “Misterioso,” “Pannonica” and “Bemsha Swing.”

Tim Conley honors the history and structural brilliance of Monk’s music while moving it into a contemporary electronic world of bleeps, bloops and beats shaped by Los Angeles beat culture. Each track becomes its own planet within a larger voyage, in harmony with Tokio Aoyama’s metaphysical hand-painted cover art.

The album balances depth with playfulness. The arrangements remain recognizable to Monk scholars while opening the compositions into unfamiliar sonic spaces for new listeners.

Featuring

Chris Speed · Dan Rosenboom · Gavin Templeton · Jonah Levine · Jason Fraticelli · Brian Marsella · Makaya McCraven · Anwar Marshall

Personnel & credits

Label: World Galaxy / Alpha Pup Records
Release: January 26, 2018

Tim Conley — guitar, bass, keys, synths, drum programming, production
Chris Speed — tenor saxophone (5)
Dan Rosenboom — trumpet (2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13)
Gavin Templeton — alto and baritone saxophone (2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13)
Jonah Levine — trombone (2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 13)
Jason Fraticelli — upright bass (8)
Brian Marsella — piano (4, 7, 11)
Makaya McCraven — drums (10, 13)
Anwar Marshall — drums (2)

Mastered by Daddy Kev at Cosmic Zoo, Los Angeles.

Recognition

#2 Album of the Decade — Robert Christgau ↗