Underground (Thelonious Monk album)

Underground is an album by jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, released in 1968 on Columbia Records. It was Monk's final studio album for the label.

The album features Monk in a quartet setting with Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, Larry Gales on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. It is notable for its inclusion of several original compositions by Monk, some of which are less frequently performed than his better-known works.

The album's cover art, a staged photograph, is particularly memorable and depicts Monk in a simulated French Resistance setting, reflecting the album's title. The image includes various props such as weapons and military gear, creating a specific visual concept for the release.

Tracks on the album include:

• "Thelonious"
• "Ugly Beauty"
• "Raise Four"
• "Boo Boo's Birthday"
• "Easy Street"
• "Green Chimneys"
• "Ugly Beauty" (alternate take)
• "In Walked Bud"
• "Epistrophy"

Underground received generally positive reviews and is considered a significant work within Monk's discography. It showcases his distinctive playing style and compositional ingenuity, as well as the cohesiveness of his working quartet at the time.