the copyright laws determine the agenda of this four cd thelonious monk set covering 1947 to 1955, omitting the subsequent golden period with riverside records. none the less, many of monk's most capriciously steely tunes - 'evidence', 'misterioso', 'blue monk', 'straight no chaser' and 'round about midnight' - were written during the blue note and prestige records years, and they are here, plus the usual booklet from proper's classic-jazz archivist joop visser. monk's filleting of a ballad to its essentials is evident in the sparse phrasing and cliff-hanging pauses on the 1947 'ruby my dear', and his spookily wayward horn writing on 'monk's mood' and 'round about midnight'. sonny rollins's brusque sound and mix of tumbling and stuttering runs are ideal material for monk, and those tracks are among the highlights. monk's 1954 'round about midnight' is a tour de force, and the trio with bassist percy heath and drummer art blakey confirm their reputation as perhaps the best he had. a valuable introduction.