The Unique Thelonious Monk is a 1956 album by Thelonious Monk. It was his second for Riverside Records, and, like his Riverside debut, is made up of standards. It was a continuation of Riverside's strategy to broaden consumer interest in Monk by having him record cover versions of well-known material which, Riverside hoped, would help to break down the prevailing perception that Monk's original music was "too difficult" for mass-market acceptance.
Riverside, at the time of the first re-issue, printed copies of the stamp that was featured on the cover art. Some of these made their way through the United States Postal Service, which issued a restraining order against the company. Monk was subsequently featured on a genuine stamp, which was issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 1995.
Track listing Side One "Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)" (George & Ira Gershwin, Gus Kahn) – 3:11 "Memories of You" (Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf) – 4:15 "Honeysuckle Rose" (Fats Waller, Andy Razaf) – 5:32 "Darn That Dream" (Eddie DeLange, James Van Heusen) – 6:30
Side Two "Tea for Two" (Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) – 5:52 "You Are Too Beautiful" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 4:53 "Just You, Just Me" (Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages) – 7:59
Personnel Thelonious Monk – piano Art Blakey – drums (except for track 2) Oscar Pettiford – bass (except for track 2)
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