Dave Gelly 

Thelonious Monk: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 review – long-lost classic

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Thelonious Monk in New York, 1960.
Thelonious Monk in New York, 1960. Photograph: Herb Snitzer/Getty Images

Recorded to accompany Roger Vadim’s film adaptation of the 18th-century novel, this music has not been heard in more than half a century, except at rare screenings. It’s typical Monk – angular, mercurial, introspective – played by his regular quartet of the time, plus French saxophonist Barney Wilen. When I saw the film, many years ago, I thought the whole story seemed touched by a strange, Monkish ambivalence. This time, I was simply overjoyed to encounter a long-lost example of the great man at his very best. And what better time for it to come to light than in his centenary year?

Watch a video about Thelonious Monk’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
 

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