There are books, and documentaries, that offer much more insight into Thelonious Monk than I ever could. I will just say this; he is one my favorite musicians. His approaches to the piano and composition were brilliantly inventive, dissonant, humorous, and unacceptably catchy.

“Shuffle Boil” was originally recorded in 1955 with Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Art Blakey on drums, and Percy Health on bass.  You might be correct in saying that it was the finest version ever recorded. I happen to adore this formerly unreleased version much more. Not only because I’ve always felt that Ben Riley, Butch Warren, and Charlie Rouse were woefully underrated musicians, but this 1964 version is so much funkier. 
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I hope you all enjoy this version and its off-kilter phrasing, missed notes, and struggles. It gleefully embodies who Thelonious Monk was, as well as his performances and writing.  

I remember hearing this song for the first time on the radio in the summer of 1990 and was blown away. It was all the swirly shimmery goodness I adored, and danceable. I couldn’t wait to hear more. A year later, and My Bloody Valentine released Loveless. It didn’t sell well at all, but for those of us who saw them during that tour, we knew we had witnessed something special.
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Loveless is now considered a masterpiece, and MBV has gotten back together to record and continue touring. I’m glad; what they created almost 30 years ago pushed the sonic envelope and united legions of fans and other musical artists who sought more in music than just catchy lyrics and musical hooks.

Because I’m not a fan of the New England Patriots.