Monk Riverside

Clark Terry with Thelonious Monk - In Orbit (1958) {Riverside OJCCD-302-2 rel 1987}
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© 1958, 1987 Riverside / Fantasy / ZYX Music | OJCCD-302-2
Jazz / Bop / Flugelhorn / Piano

Thelonious Monk, in addition to all his other notable qualities, was actually one of Riverside's most valuable talent scouts, recommending such mainstays as Johnny Griffin and Wilbur Ware, and introducing the label to Sonny Rollins and Clark Terry. The astoundingly adept trumpeter was always greatly appreciated by Thelonious, who quickly accepted the invitation to accompany Terry on this occasion. It was an album full of firsts and rarities: Monk's only Riverside appearance as a sideman; the first of Terry's many recordings on flugelhorn; the first of a great many Riverside dates for the great bassist Sam Jones; and the only occasion on which Monk and drummer Philly Joe Jones recorded together.

Despite various reissue formats over several decades, the seven original LPs contained in Thelonious Monk - The Riverside Tenor Sessions stood perfectly well on their own at the time of initial release and remain among the highest achievements of a truly golden age. Recorded and released between 1956 and 1961, these seven Monk combo albums were critical in Monk's emergence from a decade of ridicule and neglect to his status at the pinnacle of the jazz pantheon. In addition to some of his best recorded piano performances and more than two dozen of his profoundly personal compositions, these albums provide an overview of the era's major tenor saxophonists, with contributions by Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Charlie Rouse and Harold Land…

The Thelonious Monk Orchestra - At Town Hall (1959) {2007 Riverside} [Keepnews Collection Complete Series] (Item #14of27)
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© 1959, 2007 Concord / Riverside | 0888072301900
Jazz / Bop / Progressive Jazz / Piano

Remastered in 24-bit from the original master tapes. Part of our Keepnews Collection, which spotlights classic albums originally produced by the legendary and arguably the most respected of all jazz producers, Orrin Keepnews.

Thelonious Monk - In Italy (1961) {Riverside OJCCD-488-2 rel 2006}
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© 1961, 2006 Riverside Records / Fantasy / Universal | OJCCD-488-2 / 00025218648820
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Piano

Pianist-composer Thelonious Monk's final Riverside recording before signing with Columbia was cut during a concert in Italy, part of an extensive European tour that also resulted in recordings from Paris three days earlier. All eight of the songs (which include "Straight No Chaser," "Bemsha Swing," and "Rhythm-A-Ning") had been recorded in more definitive fashion earlier and, although Monk and his tenor Charlie Rouse sound fine, the bass and drum solos of bassist John Ore and drummer Frankie Dunlop on practically every song are consistently dull and unimaginative. This is not one of Monk's more significant dates, but his fans will still find moments to enjoy.

Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Himself (1957) {2008 Riverside} [Keepnews Collection Complete Series] (Item #24of27)
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© 1957, 2008 Concord / Riverside | 0888072305106
Jazz / Bop / Piano

Orrin Keepnews' commentary (from his new liner notes): "This, you might say, is an album of undiluted Monk. Like most generalizations, that wouldbe putting things a bit too simply, but the core of truth is there. For, with the deliberate exceptionof the final selection, this is literally Thelonious Himself—Monk, alone in the recording studio, offering highly personal versions of some standards and some of his own tunes.

Thelonious Himself is a mostly solo set by pianist Thelonious Monk. Monk's hesitant stride and thoughtful yet very unpredictable flights are always a joy to hear. He performs a variety of swing standards (including "April in Paris" and "I'm Getting Sentimental over You"), his blues "Functional". The one non-solo track is "Monk's Mood," a ballad that finds Monk joined by tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and bassist Wilbur Ware. Allmusic****