Emily: I've talked before about how I've started studying and writing to a John Coltrane Pandora station during the school year, a habit that I carried over to my internship this summer and may continue throughout my professional career. Although I can't keep the volume as loud in an office than at my bedroom desk (and headphones are frowned upon), there's nothing like some low-volume, wordless, classic jazz to keep me focused during a long day. I rarely check to see which artists show up on that station, but I'm sure Thelonious Monk has popped up at least a few times. He's another great jazz musician of the '50s, and this album is a complex, up-tempo collection of the genre at its finest. And that means it's exactly the kind of jazz I like to listen to. Brilliant Corners will likely work its way into my studying and work rotation, and perhaps I'll even be able to recognize its tracks in the sea of Pandora-curated jazz I keep on repeat.
Favorite Tracks: Brilliant Corners; Bemsha Swing; Pannonica
Zack: I like jazz music, but I have been hesitant to
call myself a fan. I worry that people will call me out and I won’t have a
proper reply. For example, when people talk to me about how they’re HUGE fans
of hip-hop and they know everything about it, I ask them a very simple
question: “Rakim or Kane?” The answer isn’t really important (although it
clearly is Rakim), what’s important is discovering if this fan is aware that the
genesis of the music and culture predates 2Pac and Biggie. That might sound
snobbish, and I wouldn’t hide from the allegation, but I think it’s valid. I
can still have a conversation with someone who likes hip-hop that isn’t
knowledgeable about all the history, I just need to know what the temporal
brackets are to the conversation. Anyway, because I aspire to not being a total
hypocrite, I’m aware that certain other prerequisites are probably in place for
fandoms of other types of music. And for jazz, I’ve always thought of
Thelonious Monk in that category. Because I hadn’t formulated an opinion on
Thelonious Monk, I wasn’t ready to adopt the “fan” moniker. But now I’ve
listened to one Thelonious Monk album, and I quite enjoyed it. I would put it
behind Birth of the Cool and Love Supreme, but Brilliant Corners had a lot of
flair to it that made it a great listen. I feel like I’ve really taken a step
forward today in feeling comfortable labeling myself a jazz fan, but I may
check out a few more Thelonious albums before I make the leap.
Favorite Tracks: Brilliant Corners; Bemsha Swing; Pannonica
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