Underground (Thelonious Monk album) explained

Underground is the seventh studio album that Thelonious Monk recorded for Columbia Records. It features Monk on piano, Larry Gales on bass, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, and Ben Riley on drums. This is the last Monk album featuring the Thelonious Monk Quartet. Its cover image depicts Monk as a French Resistance fighter in the Second World War, an homage to longtime patroness and friend Pannonica de Koenigswarter, who had served in the resistance, and whose likeness also appears on the cover.

Music

"Green Chimneys" is named after the school attended by Monk's daughter.

For "In Walked Bud", Jon Hendricks added lyrics.

Track listing

All songs composed by Thelonious Monk unless otherwise noted.

Original LP

Side One

1. "Thelonious" - 3:14
2. "Ugly Beauty" - 7:20 recorded December 14, 1967^[2]
3. "Raise Four" - 4:36
4. "Boo Boo's Birthday" - 5:56

Side Two

1. "Easy Street" (A.R. Jones) - 5:52
2. "Green Chimneys" - 9:00 recorded December 14, 1968^[3]
3. "In Walked Bud" - 4:17

CD re-issue

1. "Thelonious" – 3:13
2. "Ugly Beauty" – 3:17
3. "Raise Four" – 5:47
4. "Boo Boo's Birthday" – 5:56
5. "Easy Street" (Alan Rankin Jones) – 5:53
6. "Green Chimneys" – 9:00
7. "In Walked Bud" (Jon Hendricks, Monk) – 4:17

Special Edition

1. "Thelonious" – 3:16
2. "Ugly Beauty" – 10:45
3. "Raise Four" – 7:00
4. "Boo Boo's Birthday (Take 11)" – 5:55
5. "Easy Street" – 7:50
6. "Green Chimneys" – 13:09
7. "In Walked Bud" – 6:48
8. "Ugly Beauty (Take 4)" – 7:37
9. "Boo Boo's Birthday (Take 2)" – 5:34
10. "Thelonious (Take 3)" – 3:10

Personnel

Musicians

• Thelonious Monk – piano
• Charlie Rouse – tenor saxophone
• Larry Gales – bass
• Ben Riley – drums
• Jon Hendricks – vocals on "In Walked Bud"

Production

• Teo Macero – production
• Tim Geelan – engineering
• Horn Grinner Studios – photography
• John Berg, Richard Mantel – art direction

Notes and References

1. Web site: Billboard. May 25, 1968.
2. https://ia803106.us.archive.org/26/items/cd_underground_thelonious-monk_0/cd_underground_thelonious-monk_0.pdf
3. https://ia803106.us.archive.org/26/items/cd_underground_thelonious-monk_0/cd_underground_thelonious-monk_0.pdf