Thelonious Monk IN France

In 1961, Thelonious Monk and his quartet toured Europe, producing a series of live albums for various labels. The First European Concert, as well as recordings of Monk in Paris, Italy, Bern, Copenhagen, and Stockholm all date from that year. The performances drew almost exclusively from a body of the pianist's best-loved original material, and Monk in France is no exception. While his playing here is less energized than it can be, Monk's singular philosophy is well intact. The pianist's lines are sparse and fluid. Characteristically, he maps out only the necessary notes in his off-kilter melodies, building solos from perfectly balanced melodic/rhythmic motifs. The European touring lineup is completed by drummer Frankie Dunlop, bassist John Ore, and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse…

This CD combines together two unrelated solo piano sets. The nine performances by Thelonious Monk are a bit familiar since these renditions (which are highlighted by "'Round Midnight," "Well You Needn't," "We See" and "Hackensack") had been previously reissued by GNP/Crescendo and Mosaic. However the 13 selections (including three alternate takes) by Joe Turner (no relation to singer Big Joe Turner) are much rarer. Turner, a talented American stride pianist who spent most of his life living in France, had only recorded ten songs as a leader prior to this 1952 session and is in top form for such numbers as "Hallelujah," "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," "Wedding Boogie" and three versions of "Tea for Two." This CD is easily recommended to jazz piano collectors who do not already have the Monk selections.

Tracks 1-3 recorded on 1957-1958, Europe. Tracks 4-5 recorded on 1960, France. First three tracks of this album are from legendary pianist/composer/theorist Thelonios Monk; with Thad Jones on trumpet and Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone. And the last two tracks are from drummer Max Roach; with Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone, Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, and Julian Priester on trombone. Although Monk and Roach doesn't perform together in any track; this album can be recommended to the collectors; because of the great names, and also for the Denon label.

Thelonious Monk - The Complete Riverside Recordings (1988) {15CD Riverside Victor Japan VDJ-25010~24 rec 1955-1961}
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© 1955-61, 1988 Riverside / Fantasy / Victor Japan | VDJ-25010~24
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Piano

The studio and live recording sessions that Thelonious Monk cut during his six-year stay at the Riverside label are compiled over the 15 discs in the Complete Riverside Recordings. This middle era – between his early sides for Prestige and the final ones for Columbia – is generally considered Monk's most ingenious and creative period. The sessions are presented in chronological order, accurately charting the progression and diversions of one of the most genuinely enigmatic figures in popular music. The Complete Riverside Recordings explores Monk's genius with a certain degree of real-time analysis that simply listening to each of the individual albums from this era lacks.

Thelonious Monk - Live In Paris (1964) {2CD Set, France's Concert FCD 132/2 rel 1989}
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© 1964, 1989 France's Concert | FCD 132/2
Jazz / Bop / Modal Music / Piano

The first of two separate CDs from concerts done in Paris during the winter of 1964, Monk's quartet with Butch Warren (bass), Ben Riley (drums) and Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), showcases one standard and four of the pianist's originals. Only "Epistrophy," the closer, is in short form. Noticeable from the opening refrains of "Four in One" is Rouse, bending notes, extrapolating and modifying the melody, challenging Monk to do the same. The pianist then does a retort before laying completely out as Rouse solos. The band follows the same easy swinging mid-tempo ritual for the next two pieces; "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and "Straight, No Chaser," as tenor sax, piano, bass and drum solos line up before heading back to the melody. A stride-ish intro by Monk sets up "Sentimental" and "Epistrophy," while solos are concise.

Thelonious Monk Nonet - Live In Paris 1967 (1988) {France's Concert FCD 113}
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© 1967, 1988 France's Concert | FCD 113
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano

Pianist/composer Thelonious Monk led a quartet throughout the 1960s but on a European tour in 1967 his group was expanded with the addition of several top horn players. This CD, which contains all of the music from a Paris concert, features Monk with his regular tenor Charlie Rouse, bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley on a couple of songs, adds trumpeter Ray Copeland to make the band a quintet and for a few numbers they are joined by trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, altoist Phil Woods and tenor-saxophonist Johnny Griffin; in addition flugelhornist Clark Terry sits in and stars on "Blue Monk." Monk had only recorded with this large a group on two prior occasions, making this rare recording a historical curiosity; more importantly the music (six of his originals) is excellent.

Excellent Monk concert from his well-documented 1961 European Tour. The sound is very good and Monk is in very good form. The bonus tracks were recorded for TV in Bussum; April 1961. There is a low quality video copy of part of this that circulates among collectors, but it is nice to have it in a much more complete audio format as presented here. Huge thanks to the Dutch Archives for releasing this vintage Monk!