Downbeat — 4.5/5 stars (October 2017)

“In the Monastic One’s centennial year, pianist John Beasley hits us dead center with studio-smart takes on Monk’s deep book. His new album features rapid-fire surprises, spiky asides and a quirky sense of truthful swing.”

The New York Times

“with his 16-piece band, Mr. Beasley laces 10 of those crooked themes into funky, often­-Caribbean rhythms, pulling them into today and back to a taproot. Mr. Beasley is himself a mutable pianist and crafty arranger, and this album — like the first volume — carves up and dissects Monk’s famous bebop melodies. …the conversation gets special on Mr. Beasley’s rambunctious solo.”

The Atlantic

“John Beasley’s Monk’estra, a follow-up to last year’s Grammy nominee. Beasley and band swing through and often revamp Monk tunes. The trumpeter Dontae Winslow raps over a breakbeat–enhanced “Brake’s Sake,” “I Mean You” turns into a funk jam, and Regina Carter’s violin makes “Crepuscule With Nellie” somehow even more noirish.

Financial Times — 4 stars

“…hip-hop merges with swing and sensuous Ellingtonia sits on a sparse contemporary pulse. Impressively, the balance between surprise, subtlety and heft is just right.”

The Arts Fuse

“His orchestrations are always fascinating, the performances both precise and relaxed. Beasley doesn’t tame Monk or make him uncharacteristically pretty. (One of the compositions on Volume 2 is “Ugly Beauty.”) He’s deferential, but also innovative in sharp ways that Monk fans, and fans of big band music, should appreciate. Volume 2′s session is vividly recorded. It’s Monk and it’s not. He seems to be pointing out things in Monk that we hadn’t previously noticed.

Straight No Chaser

“A master arranger, Beasley put together a who’s who of musicians to turn the Thelonius Monk library of tunes into something more innovative and thought provoking than they had been in years. MONK’estra, Volume Two is here, and it was well worth the wait. …this is an album that rewards a careful listener at every turn.”

Hot House, NY

“A perfect example of this musical creativity is “Crepuscule with Nellie,” a haunting ballad brought to life. Some of the most creative re-imaginings of Thelonious Monk music here come from John’s addition of rhythms and time signatures not found on the originals. It turns a lesser known composition [Brake’s Sake] into a compelling contemporary protest anthem. MONK’estra’s renditions of Thelonious’ tunes bring new insights about them and appreciation for them.”

New York City Jazz Record

“This is a big, ambitious endeavor, but one that Beasley and his MONK’estra colleagues pull off with panache, serving notice that 100 years after his birth, the music of Thelonious Monk is alive and well. Beasley is back for a second set of radically reimagined big-band readings of Thelonious Monk compositions. Beasley refuses to settle for mere by-the-numbers remakes of historic material.”

San Diego Tribune

“The 11-song album features Beasley’s ingenious arrangements…one of the most acclaimed big bands currently performing.”

Drumhead, UK

“MONK’estra, Vol 2 which masterfully applies a rich orchestral palette across an array of modern infectious rhythms, while discovering new dimensions of the classic compositions that emerge directly from their deepest jazz roots.”