Dayna Stephens | Monk’D Review

by Illiam Sebitz

Thelonious Monk’s music has long been the crucible through which modern jazz defines itself with its rhythmic creativity, harmonically crooked yet inevitable resolutions, and an aura that is at once playful and austere. With Monk’D, Dayna Stephens enters this dialogue. Stephens’ role is not from his familiar perch at the tenor saxophone but from behind the bass. This inversion lets Stephens explore Monk’s gravity squarely from the low end. Recorded in a single day at Rudy Van Gelder’s storied Englewood Cliffs studio with Ethan Iverson on piano, Stephen Riley on tenor saxophone, and Eric McPherson on drums. The album is a meditation on what happens when you rebuild Monk’s architecture from the foundation up.

Stephens’ choice of bass is an extension of his lifelong inquiry into Monk’s rhythmic essence. His tone is rounded, with a palpable “humph” in the sound of his walking motion. With gut strings vibrating under his fingers, he has the tactile immediacy of an earlier jazz epoch.. Maureen Sickler’s engineering captures the full room resonance of Van Gelder’s sanctuary: the grain of the bass, the brush of cymbals, the upright piano’s unvarnished midrange glow.

“Humph” sets the tone, alternating between an up-tempo swing and a halved pulse that opens the floor for rhythmic banter. Stephens’ dialogue with McPherson is grounded in the quarter-note heartbeat rather than ornamental fills, a gesture deeply faithful to Monk’s era. Where some tributes interpret Monk’s playfulness through overt cleverness, Stephens and company let time itself carry the wit. The propulsion never flags; the groove becomes its own conversation.

“Coming on the Hudson” introduces the first structural experiment with a reimagining in 3/4 time that keeps returning to 4/4 as though the tune can’t quite sit still. The effect feels organic, not forced, with each metric lurch translating Monk’s famous rhythmic asymmetry into the group’s collective phrasing. Stephens solos first, melodic and concise, before Iverson channels Monk’s percussive logic through updated harmonic hues. Riley’s tenor sings over the moving scaffolding with supple balance, his tone breathy yet full, recalling early ‘50s Buescher resonance more than modern edge.

“Just You and Me Smoking the Evidence” merges “Just You, Just Me,” “Evidence,” and Stephens’ own contrafact, “Smoking Gun.” The suite unfolds like a puzzle in motion. The familiar motifs are recast in unexpected contexts. Iverson steals the show, as Stephens himself admits, with a solo that climbs from angular Monkisms to crystalline modern invention. Beneath him, the rhythm section glides, McPherson’s cymbals feathering against Stephens’ pulse. What could have felt academic instead becomes joyous: the kind of intellectual swing that made Monk, well, Monk.

Then comes “Ruby, My Dear,” rendered with Iverson’s solo piano introduction dripping with the harmonic color of rich, dense, and luminous voicings. When Stephens, Riley, and McPherson join, they deliver a ballad interpretation in a traditional and self-aware manner. Stephens’ bass lines are supportive, tracing Iverson’s harmonic path with calm precision rather than commentary.

Across Monk’D, the band plays as revisionists of intent. Stephens avoids smoothing out Monk’s rough corners; he leans into their human asymmetry. The bass perspective reveals how much of Monk’s design hinges on pulse and the weight of the quarter note. Those invisible architectures between rhythm and harmony. Riley’s tenor, recorded with vintage warmth, and Iverson’s historically literate touch combine to create a texture that is classic and immediate.

Monk’D is Stephens speaking Monk’s dialect from a different register, illuminating what happens when time, touch, and tone converge in the act of listening itself. The album keeps Thelonious’ music moving into new directions and settings: it swings, it questions, and it never once apologizes for its crooked beauty.

5 Finger Review Rating!

Artist: Dayna Stephens
Album: Monk’D
Label: Contagious Music

Buy and Stream Links
Release Date: October 10, 2025

About the author

Illiam Sebitz

Born and raised in a picturesque European village, my fondness for music began during my formative years, when the charismatic tones of the recorder first filled the halls of my primary school. This early fascination escalated into my lifelong pursuit of embracing the melodious charm of the flute; I have even spent time refining my skills at a music conservatoire. As a seasoned music connoisseur, I find myself captivated by the multifaceted world of music. I enjoy writing music reviews to better enable me to explore genres as diverse as world, rock, jazz, classical, folk, and film music, each offering a unique auditory journey that enriches my life and intellect.

In my spare moments, you'll likely find me meticulously crafting my latest woodworking project, sharpening my skills with flute etudes, or inventing tales of fantasy through the art of creative writing. My eclectic interests and expertise harmonize to create a symphony of passion and curiosity that resonates within every aspect of my life as a music enthusiast.