Only Monk is the third album by Steve Lacy to be released on the Italian Soul Note label (following two releases on the related Black Saint label). It features solo performances of nine tunes written by Thelonious Monk by Lacy. It is the second solo album composed totally of Monk's compositions recorded by Lacy following Eronel (1979) and follows a tradition established on Lacy's second album Reflections (1958) and Epistrophy (1969).