Xhosa Cole On A Modern Genius, Vol.1
Xhosa Cole's On A Modern Genius, Vol.1 reimagines Thelonious Monk's jagged wit through virtuosic bandleading and playful rhythmic experimentation, delivering a collection that feels both scholarly and exuberant. Critics agree the record earns its acclaim by balancing inventive improvisation with communal joy, producing moments that answer the question: is On A Modern Genius, Vol.1 worth listening to? The collection has earned an 80/100 consensus score across 2 professional reviews, a reception that frames it as a confident, high-caliber tribute.
Reviewers consistently praise standout tracks as the album's engines. “Rhythm-a-ning” emerges repeatedly as the high point, where Liberty Styles's tap percussion and the ensemble's rhythmic unpredictability propel an eleven-minute tour de force. “Trinkle, Tinkle” receives similar attention for its accelerated, whooping clamour that preserves Monk's original architecture while pushing its emotional immediacy. Critics also single out “Come Sunday” for Heidi Vogel's vocal turn and the medley linking “Criss Cross”, “Brilliant Corners” and related Monk pieces as inventive detours that showcase Cole's collaborative instincts.
While both reviews are broadly celebratory, they emphasize different strengths - one focuses on daring reinvention and close-listening rewards, the other on buoyant band chemistry and rhythmic spectacle - together creating a consensus that celebrates Cole's rhythmic imagination and leadership. The record's blend of tap dance as percussion, guest features, and faithful-yet-adventurous arrangements positions On A Modern Genius, Vol.1 as a must-hear for jazz aficionados and an accessible entry point for newcomers, setting up deeper listening in the full reviews below.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Rhythm-a-ning
2 mentions
"‘Rhythm-a-Ning’ is where it all clicks and everything thereafter just flows into eleven minutes of a gilded masterpiece"— Clash Music
Trinkle, Tinkle
2 mentions
"Cole accelerates the opening Trinkle, Tinkle into a whooping clamour of figures resolving on a dark, grouchily slurred low note"— The Guardian
Come Sunday
2 mentions
"On ‘Come Sunday’ legendary vocalist Heidi Vogel ... makes an appearance"— Clash Music
‘Rhythm-a-Ning’ is where it all clicks and everything thereafter just flows into eleven minutes of a gilded masterpiece
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Trinkle, Tinkle
Rhythm-a-ning
Misterioso/Straight, No Chaser
Criss Cross/'Round Midnight/Brilliant Corners
Let's Cool One
Bright Mississippi
Come Sunday
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Xhosa Cole channels Monk's jagged wit across On A Modern Genius, Vol.1, with the best songs - notably “Trinkle, Tinkle” and “Rhythm-a-ning” - catching the composer’s wild spirit. Cole accelerates “Trinkle, Tinkle” into a whooping clamour that keeps Monk’s ingenious design intact, and his “Rhythm-a-ning” moves from wriggling tenor figures to a slewing, loose melody that rewards close listening. For listeners asking which are the best tracks on On A Modern Genius, Vol.1, those two performances stand out for their daring reinvention and emotional immediacy, while the medley around “Criss Cross” to “Brilliant Corners” and the vocal turn on “Come Sunday” provide compelling detours. The reviewer's tone is admiring and precise, insisting Cole both surprises buffs and hooks newcomers with these highlights.
Key Points
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The best song is “Trinkle, Tinkle” because Cole accelerates it into a whooping, ingenious statement that preserves Monk’s design.
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The album’s core strengths are daring reinvention of Monk’s melodies, rhythmic unpredictability, and empathetic ensemble interplay.
Themes
Critic's Take
Nick Roseblade writes with buoyant admiration, noting that Xhosa Cole’s On A Modern Genius, Vol.1 is joyful and confident, and that the best tracks show that energy plainly. He singles out “Rhythm-a-Ning” as the moment it all clicks, where Liberty Styles’ tap dancing propels eleven minutes of gilded mastery, and praises “Come Sunday” for its laidback splendour with Heidi Vogel’s lilting vocals. The review frames these songs as standout moments within a collection of standout moments, crediting Cole’s bandleader instincts and the album’s communal joy. This is a celebratory take on the album’s best songs and why they work - tight, intricate, free and buoyant performances.
Key Points
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“Rhythm-a-Ning” is best for its tap-dance-driven groove and a moment where the band coalesces into eleven minutes of gilded interplay.
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The album’s core strength is its communal joy and tight, buoyant arrangements that showcase Cole as an assured bandleader.