Green Chimneys is a Thelonious Monk jazz composition named after the school attended by Monk’s daughter. It was first recorded in 1967 for the Straight, No Chaser sessions and later released on the Underground album in 1968. The track appears on Underground, Monk’s seventh studio album for Columbia, with Monk on piano, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, Larry Gales on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The tune showcases Monk’s signature approach—dense voicings, 9th chords, arpeggios, and a memorable triplet figure—over a driving rhythm section. Underground marks the last Monk quartet recording for Columbia. Since its release, Green Chimneys has been widely covered and reinterpreted by artists such as Jessica Williams and Kenny Barron, reflecting its enduring place in the Monk repertoire.
