Billboard : 04/06/1957
Score of 76

Both of these names have more market appeal today than they did when these performances were issued on several 10-inchers a couple of years back. Rollins especially is starting to come into his own with the lay public as well as with musicians. Set includes performances by Monk‘s Trio and Quintet (latter with Rollins), and Rollins’ Quartet (with Monk). An important modern set. For jazz specialty shops mainly, try The Way You Look Tonight.

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Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

The position of legendary figure· is usually reserved for a deceased musician who has played two decades before. It usually requires this posthumous status and span of time, for the various stories concerning him to grow into a legend but it took a very much alive Thelonious Monk only five years to surround himself with an air of mystery and receive the title “High Priest of Bebop” in the Forties. Perhaps this element of weird glamour prevented many people from enjoying Monk’s music to the fullest extent. Certainly he is always low man on the totem pole whenever the triumvirate of the founding fathers of bop is evaluated. This is due in part, no doubt, to the greater solo prowess of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, but Thelonious’ contributions in time, chord patterns and the original lines resulting from them were unjustly minimized. Actually they were the basis for much of the jazz of the Forties and Fifties.

Today he stands as an individual, a highly original musician who is the mentor of many young musicians in New York and the influence of countless others all over the globe. In his writing and playing, he consistently proves his right to the often misapplied title of creator.

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November 13, 1953 was a Friday. At WOR Studios preparations were being made for the recording date that would soon commence. Julius Watkins, who had been called in as a last minute replacement for an ailing Ray Copeland, warmed up in muted tones. Percy Heath and Willie Jones made separate entrances and soon the scheduled two o’clock starting time was clearly indicated by the studio wall-clock (a constant visual magnet at most recording sessions) without there being a sign of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins. Someone half-laughed, ‘Friday the thirteenth”, and there followed much pacing, more clock-watching and a few phone calls. In the neighborhood of three o’clock, Monk and Sonny arrived. Their cab had rammed the rear of a motorcycle, causing no physical injury but considerably delaying the affairs of the afternoon and adding greatly to the usual anxieties of recording. From then on it was a battle against the red second hand with the fact that Julius had not seen the music before, another handicap. Any accomplished musician should have no trouble sight-reading and Julius didn’t but there was the matter of getting the feel of the tune and its chord changes which is something never to be achieved with celerity, unless by someone of Charlie Parker’s ilk.

Friday The Thirteenth was an inevitable title. Its mood seemed to fit the happenings of the day. Everybody reflects a sadness although in different degrees. Sonny, Julius and Monk each solo at length. Then the three engage in four bar conversations after which Monk solos again. Drummer Willie Jones solos over and under the final melody statement.

As a belated sequel to Thelonious’ successful trio sessions of 1952, this one was also richly rewarding. Though not a great soloist from the standpoint of technique, brilliance and flash, Monk’s originality of style and width of idea serve to make him a highly interesting and important one. His playing can be characterized by roast beef, and a martini in which vermouth plays a very minor supporting role; much meat and very dry.

The trio often serves as a workshop for Monk’s combos with the lines being embellished by Monk for his larger group.

Work and Nutty are thought provoking themes by Monk that serve as energetic workouts for the trio. Percy is a tower of strength throughout, contributing solos of note on both. Art is always building something while swinging; his solos are delights of rhythmic perfection and imagination and Thelonious is a past master at rhythmic patterns and time sequences.

Almost a year after the Friday the Thirteenth session, Monk and Sonny Rollins were reunited on records. Two of the most fertile minds in modern music took two jazz standards and explored them. Sonny was closer to Charlie Parker then (but no imitator) with indications of further development along his own lines clearly shown. Monk, as always, made something extremely personal of the material at hand whether he had written or not.

Both The Way You Look Tonight and I Want To Be Happy are swingers with hope and optimism running through them.