Straight, No Chaser (1968)

"This should not be confused with the original motion picture soundtrack to the 1988 film of the same name. The original disc only included six performances, half of which were edited due to the stringent time constraints of vinyl. This 1996 CD version not only restores all of the previously abridged performances, but also adds a trio of sides, two of which ("I Didn't Know About You: Take 1" and "Green Chimneys") are issued here for the first time. The band featured here includes: Monk (piano), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Ben Riley (drums), and Larry Gales (bass). This would be the final quartet Monk would assemble to record with in the studio. While far from being somber, this unit retained a mature flavor which would likewise place Monk's solos in a completely new context. In addition to the quartet sides, Straight, No Chaser contains two unaccompanied piano solos: "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and "This Is My Story, This Is My Song."" (Lindsay Planer, Allmusic)