Monk’s Columbia Records debut showcased a quartet featuring tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, bassist John Ore, and drummer Frankie Dunlop. Surrounded by these three relatively straight-ahead players, he made a surprisingly smooth and easy-going album, his usually lurching and percussive piano style perfectly supported by Ore and Dunlop’s taut, swinging rhythms. Rouse’s saxophone is bluesy and expressive, but he always defers to the boss.