Various: Music of the Sphere

Thelonious Monk's bizarre middle name was Sphere, hence the title of this collection of his tunes played by other, mainly contemporary, artists. As with all the great jazz composers, something of Monk remains embedded in new treatments of his work. Even Joel Harrison's funky guitar version of "Straight, No Chaser" has something of Monk's stubborn angularity, while Arthur Blythe goes the whole hog, his alto saxophone joined by tuba, marimba, drum and cymbal. Others taking turns include Eric Alexander, Larry Coryell and Mary Lou Williams.