Masao Yagi - Plays Thelonious Monk - SHM CD

Japanese import.

A Japanese take on the sound of Thelonious Monk led by pianist Masao Yagi, and which features some of the same dynamic horn interplay as Monk's best work on Riverside. Recorded in 1960 Yagi's got a really great group including Sadao Watanabe on alto sax and Akira Nakano on trumpet. Yagi's piano is strong too – surprisingly sensitive at times – and the record does a great job of nodding towards the original without clearly copying it too much. It was a huge hit in Japan at the time and as a result Monk then toured Japan.

Masao Yagi (p)
Sadao Watanabe (as)
Akira Nakano (tp)
Masanaga Harada (b)
Teiichi Tabata (dr) 

Tracks:

Rhythm-A-Ning

Off Minor

Misterioso

Straight No Chaser

Blue Monk

Monk's Mood

Evidence