Thelonious Monk's "Criss-Cross" is one of the classics of jazz literature. To an extent never achieved before (except perhaps by Duke Ellington), it showed that jazz was capable of producing more than mere 'tunes'. "Criss-Cross" is a composition for instruments, meant to be heard, not danced or sung to. Brief though it may be, it is as complete in its concise statement and development of a given motive as a Scarlatti sonata or a Haydn quartet movement. I have long wanted to pay homage to this unique piece and its composer by basing a series of variations on it; and the aforementioned concert provided the ideal context.
The recorded version includes musicians Scott LaFaro, Bill Evans, Jim Hall, and Eric Dolphy.
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