By Carlo Wolff | Published January 2026
Dayna Stephens trades his saxophone for upright bass on Monk’D, his varied tribute to Thelonious Monk, the great original who inspired Stephens during his studies at the Monk (now known as the Herbie Hancock) Institute of Jazz.
Along with Ethan Iverson on piano, tenor saxophonist Stephen Riley and drummer Eric McPherson, Stephens integrates Monk-adjacent originals like Iverson’s title track and the musical portmanteau “Just You And Me Smoking The Evidence” with lesser-known Monk works.
Highlights include a take on Monk’s “Humph” that brings out the interplay among these Monk devotees, the sassy strut of “Stuffy Turkey” and a bewitching “Ruby My Dear,” likely the album’s best-known Monk tune.
“Humph,” like other Monk, is angular and surprising. “Brake’s Sake,” like other Monk, is a well-developed tune with sly musical character.McPherson’s rim shots and Iverson’s upper-register plunges make “Stuffy Turkey” pop, and Stephens lifts the obscure track higher with a solo so goading Riley can’t help plunging back in.
While Iverson lays the foundation for a smoky “Ruby My Dear,” Riley, a seductive saxophonist who evokes the similarly distinctive Steve Lacy, affirms his own authority. Ruminative and embracing, this “ Ruby” is a particular keeper.
Recorded on vintage instruments in a single day at Rudy Van Gelder’s storied studio, Monk’D reminds you why Monk’s music is forever fresh. It also makes you wonder how the group might treat a chestnut like “’Round Midnight,” as well as Monk obscurities deserving wider recognition.
