Search Results for "Thelonious Monk"

Thelonious Monk – Straight, No Chaser (1966) [Reissue 1999]
PS3 Rip | ISO | SACD DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 75:54 mins | Scans included | 3,1 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 1,55 GB

This is the sixth studio album cut by Thelonious Monk under the production/direction of Teo Macero for Columbia and as such should not be confused with the original motion picture soundtrack to the 1988 film of the same name. The band featured here includes: Monk (piano), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Ben Riley (drums), and Larry Gales (bass). This would be the final quartet Monk would assemble to record with in the studio. While far from being somber, this unit retained a mature flavor which would likewise place Monk’s solos in a completely new context. At times, this adaptation presents itself more subtly than others. For instance, Monk’s extended solo in “Locomotive” never reaches beyond itself due in part to the tempo-laden rhythm section. The contrast of styles, however, appreciates the caliber of this particular solo, including an obvious assertion by Monk which leads the band, albeit temporarily, into playing double-time. Other recommended quartet selections on this disc include a liberated version of the title track, which highlights some stellar interaction between Monk and Rouse. The same can be said for “We See,” which features the hardest bop on the album. In addition to the quartet sides, Straight, No Chaser contains two unaccompanied piano solos: “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” and “This Is My Story, This Is My Song.” [The original disc only included six performances, half of which were edited due to the stringent time constraints of vinyl; subsequent reissues not only restored all of the previously abridged performances, but also added a trio of sides, two of which (“I Didn’t Know About You: Take 1” and “Green Chimneys”) are issued here for the first time.]

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Thelonious Monk – Solo Monk (1965/1999)
DSD64 (.dff) 1 bit/2,8 MHz | Time – 41:19 minutes | 1,63 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/48 kHz | Time – 41:19 minutes | 444 MB
Source: SACD-R, Sony Music Japan # SRGS-4520 | Artwork: Scans (PDF)

“Solo Monk” is the eighth album Thelonious Monk originally released for Columbia Records in 1965. The album is composed entirely of solo piano work by Monk. In addition to various vinyl and CD issues, Sony Music issued an SACD in Japan.

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Thelonious Monk Quintet – 5 By Monk By 5 (1959) [APO Remaster 2002]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 58:58 minutes | Scans included | 2,38 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 1,22 GB

As the ’50s drew to a close, so did Thelonious Monk’s illustrious tenure on Riverside Records. In fact, the three dates needed for this title would be his penultimate for the label. The album’s concept placed five Monk originals into a five-person (read: quintet) setting. Ironically, this was the first time that Monk had recorded with a lineup that so prominently displayed a “standard” bop rhythm section with both a trumpet and sax player. The quintet on 5 by Monk by 5 (1959) finds the pianist supported by Thad Jones (cornet), Sam Jones (bass), Art Taylor (drums), and Charlie Rouse (tenor sax) – who would continue working with the artist as Monk’s (more or less) permanent tenor saxophonist for the majority of the ’60s. In what had become somewhat of a tradition, the disc’s program boasts several of Monk’s more established melodies coupled with a few recent works. One of those was “Jackie-ing” – named incidentally after Monk’s niece. It commences the disc exemplifying the loose, disjointed and exceedingly difficult scores that would define Thelonious Monk as a premiere composer, arranger, and bandleader. This seemingly unkempt sound flies in the face of Monk’s thoroughly disciplined keyboard playing, as well as a solid component within the context of the full ensemble – which he skillfully demonstrates not only on “Jackie-ing,” but on every entry within the long-playing effort. The songs’ opening jam is imbued with a hearty tug of war as Rouse’s animated lines tangle with Monk’s interjections and piano antics. Jones’ cornet is similarly worked into the tricky arrangements. To some, the sound – which is starkly disparate when compared to the timbre that exists among the comparatively subdued Rouse or Monk – can be notably disconcerting. When 5 by Monk by 5 was reissued in CD, the running order was augmented by two alternate takes of “Played Twice” – the other Monk-penned tune to have been debuted on the LP.

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Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Music (1957) [Reissue 2004]
PS3 Rip | ISO | SACD DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 48:06 mins | Scans included | 2,05 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 1,09 GB

Monk’s Music is often cited as one of the focal points of Thelonious Monk’s six-year affiliation (1955-1961) with the Riverside label. Although the original disc clocked in at slightly over 30 minutes, packed into that half hour are not only the introduction of a few of Monk’s signature compositions, but also some amazing interactions from the assembled ensemble. Joining Thelonious Monk (piano) during these two recording sessions are Ray Copeland (trumpet), Gigi Gryce (alto sax), Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Wilbur Ware (bass), and Art Blakey (drums). The true meaning of the album’s title exists beyond just Thelonious, as the opening sacred prelude, “Abide With Me,” was written by William H. Monk. This brief piece features only the horn quartet, foreshadowing their importance throughout the album. The angular stride style featured during the chorus of “Well You Needn’t” is tackled with the same nimble authority as Monk’s completely unfettered solos. If his ability to swing and his utilization of atomic clock accuracy have ever been questioned, the answer lies no further. So utterly free and fantastic, certain passages command immediate review to be fully comprehended. Hearing Coltrane and Hawkins together is admittedly part of the charm in these sides. “Ruby, My Dear” is bathed in the smoky essence of Hawkins’ rich textures and Coltrane’s playful cat-and-mouse aggression. Blakey gently propels the rhythm, never getting in the way and sporting a serene snare groove throughout. “Off Minor” is largely led by Monk, with solos that follow into and out of the memorable chorus that sparkles with the full involvement of the horn and rhythm sections. The same is true for this definitive version of “Epistrophy” — perhaps the zenith collaborative effort between Coltrane and Monk. Additionally, Blakey is in top form, with a solo that borders on spastic precision.

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Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Dream (1963) [Reissue 2015]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 43:31 minutes | Scans NOT included | 1,76 GB
or DSD64 2.0 (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Scans NOT included | 1,71 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans NOT included | 874 MB

Monk’s Dream is the Columbia Records debut release featuring the Thelonious Monk Quartet: Monk (piano), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), John Ore (bass), and Frankie Dunlop (drums). Jazz scholars and enthusiasts alike also heralded this combo as the best Monk had been involved with for several years. Although he would perform and record supported by various other musicians, the tight – almost telepathic – dimensions that these four shared has rarely been equalled in any genre. By the early ’60s, bop had become considered passé by artists as well as fans looking for the next musical trend. This is coupled with the fact that discerning Monk fans would have undoubtedly recognized many of these titles from several live recordings issued at the end of his tenure on Riverside. Not to belabor the point, however, but precious few musicians understood the layer upon layer of complexities and challenges that Monk’s music created. On tracks such as “Five Spot Blues” and “Bolivar Blues,” Rouse and Dunlop demonstrate their uncanny abilities by squeezing in well-placed instrumental fills, while never getting hit by the unpredictable rhythmic frisbees being tossed about by Monk. Augmenting the six quartet recordings are two solo sides: “Just a Gigolo” and “Body and Soul.” Most notable about Monk’s solo work is how much he retained the same extreme level of intuition throughout the nearly two decades that separate these recordings from his initial renderings in the late ’40s. Monk’s Dream is recommended, with something for every degree of Monk enthusiast.

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Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Dream (1963) [MFSL 2019]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 43:28 minutes | Scans included | 1,76 GB
or FLAC (converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Full Scans included | 0,97 GB
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab # UDSACD 2207

Originally released in early 1963, Monk’s Dream was the first Thelonious Monk album for Columbia. At the time this was recorded, he had become one of the preeminent figures in contemporary jazz. His move to Columbia put him in the company of a couple of the era’s other major talents and commercial successes, Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck, and his quartet was stabilized for a couple years with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (with him since 1958), bassist John Ore, and drummer Frankie Dunlop.r-celebrated in its day, Monk’s Dream is rich with the confidence of a band at its peak.

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Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners (1957) [Reissue 2004]
PS3 Rip | ISO | SACD DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 42:57 mins | Scans included | 822 MB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 912 MB

Although Brilliant Corners is Thelonious Monk’s third disc for Riverside, it’s the first on the label to weigh in with such heavy original material. Enthusiasts who become jaded to the idiosyncratic nature of Monk’s playing or his practically arithmetical chord progressions should occasionally revisit Brilliant Corners. There is an inescapable freshness and vitality saturated into every measure of every song. The passage of time makes it all the more difficult to imagine any other musicians bearing the capacity to support Monk with such ironic precision. The assembled quartet for the lion’s share of the sessions included Max Roach (percussion), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Oscar Pettiford (bass), and Ernie Henry (alto sax). Although a compromise, the selection of Miles Davis’ bassist, Paul Chambers, and Clark Terry (trumpet) on “Bemsha Swing” reveals what might be considered an accident of ecstasy, as they provide a timeless balance between support and being able to further the cause musically. Likewise, Roach’s timpani interjections supply an off-balanced sonic surrealism while progressing the rhythm in and out of the holes provided by Monk’s jackrabbit leads. It’s easy to write Monk’s ferocity and Forrest Gump-esque ingenuity off as gimmick or quirkiness. What cannot be dismissed is Monk’s ability to translate emotions into the language of music, as in the freedom and abandon he allows through Sonny Rollins’ and Max Roach’s mesmerizing solos in “Brilliant Corners.” The childlike innocence evoked by Monk’s incorporation of the celeste during the achingly beautiful ode “Pannonica” raises the emotional bar several degrees. Perhaps more pointed, however, is the impassioned “I Surrender, Dear” — the only solo performance on the album. Brilliant Corners may well be considered the alpha and omega of post-World War II American jazz. No serious jazz collection should be without it.

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Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners (1957) [Japanese Limited SHM-SACD 2012 # UCGO-9022]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 42:58 minutes | Scans included | 1,83 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 784 MB

Although Brilliant Corners is Thelonious Monk’s third disc for Riverside, it’s the first on the label to weigh in with such heavy original material. Enthusiasts who become jaded to the idiosyncratic nature of Monk’s playing or his practically arithmetical chord progressions should occasionally revisit Brilliant Corners. There is an inescapable freshness and vitality saturated into every measure of every song. The passage of time makes it all the more difficult to imagine any other musicians bearing the capacity to support Monk with such ironic precision. The assembled quartet for the lion’s share of the sessions included Max Roach (percussion), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Oscar Pettiford (bass), and Ernie Henry (alto sax). Although a compromise, the selection of Miles Davis’ bassist, Paul Chambers, and Clark Terry (trumpet) on “Bemsha Swing” reveals what might be considered an accident of ecstasy, as they provide a timeless balance between support and being able to further the cause musically. Likewise, Roach’s timpani interjections supply an off-balanced sonic surrealism while progressing the rhythm in and out of the holes provided by Monk’s jackrabbit leads. It’s easy to write Monk’s ferocity and Forrest Gump-esque ingenuity off as gimmick or quirkiness. What cannot be dismissed is Monk’s ability to translate emotions into the language of music, as in the freedom and abandon he allows through Sonny Rollins’ and Max Roach’s mesmerizing solos in “Brilliant Corners.” The childlike innocence evoked by Monk’s incorporation of the celeste during the achingly beautiful ode “Pannonica” raises the emotional bar several degrees. Perhaps more pointed, however, is the impassioned “I Surrender, Dear” — the only solo performance on the album. Brilliant Corners may well be considered the alpha and omega of post-World War II American jazz. No serious jazz collection should be without it.

(more…)