What Monk recording next?

[chris]

Here is what I have... what should I get next?

5 by Monk by 5

Alone In San Francisco

At Carnegie Hall (with John Coltrane)

Genius of Modern Music (Volume 1)

Genius of Modern Music (Volume 2)

Live at the Five Spot (Featuring John Coltrane)

Live at the It Club - Complete (Disc 1)

Live at the It Club - Complete (Disc 2)

Monk

Plays Duke Ellington

Solo Monk

The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall

Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins

Underground [bonus Tracks]

[Late]

If you can still find it, I'd pick up the Complete Prestige Recordings box set. It's small (2, 3 discs?) and digestible, and contains some of my favorite Monk. It also has some recordings Monk made with Coleman Hawkins. A big .

[JSngry]

I agree w/all that Mr. Carter says about the Prestige material.

[marcello]

Frankly, I still dig this one more than the recent one with Trane:

[king ubu]

And I like "Misterioso" even better!

"Brilliant Corners" is another great one.

Then the earliest Columbias, "Monk's Dream" and "Criss Cross"!

"Straight No Chaser" is pretty good, too, with much restored music on the CD. Those Monk Columbias are one of the things Keepnews did right!

And another for the Prestige box!

All essential music, in my opinion!

[jazzbo]

Get "Wizard of the Vibes," the Milt Jackson RVG on Blue Note.

For me the Blue Note recordings are the ursource. . . I'm always finding treasure deep within. You should have them all to qualify as a Monk nut.

Also the side of the Savoy lp under Gigi Gryce's name with Monk on piano, reissued on by Savoy as "Nica's Dream" is an intriguing one to have.

Edited October 14, 2006 by jazzbo

[sal]

"Monk's Music". A absolute classic.

Also get "Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane".

[(BB)]

I'm with Marcello & King Ubu on the Riverside/Griffin sides.

[paul secor]

Thelonious Himself is a great one.

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk - Blakey always played great on Monk-led records, and Monk returned the favor here.

Live at the Five Spot: Discovery! (w. Trane) - I don't have the remastered/tape speed corrected issue on the Blue Note Complete box, but this still sounds good to me.

And you might want to try and grab Monk in Tokyo before it disappears -tho it will no doubt be reissued at some point.

Hope you enjoy whatever you pick up.

Edited October 13, 2006 by paul secor

[paul secor]

Forgot the three volume London Collection on Black Lion - the end of the line for Monk's recording career, but fine stuff.

[GA Russell]

One more vote for Thelonious In Action.

It was my first Monk album, and still maybe my favorite, maybe because it was the first. The way I see it, I wouldn't have gone on to purchase many more Monk albums if the first one weren't any good.

edit for typo

Edited October 13, 2006 by GA Russell

[Late]

Though I shouldn't trouble the waters with any K2 speak, let me just say that the Japanese K2 (as there never was a domestic edition) of In Action is awesome, both musically (of course) and sonically. I got mine from Hiroshi (1800¥) and don't regret it for a moment. It's a great record — with great cover art, incidentally.

The Messengers date with Monk is also a good recommendation. I don't play that one enough. The Penguin Guide gives it a crown, and it's well deserving of one. I think Johnny Griffin understood/gelled with Monk just as well as, if not sometimes better than, Charlie Rouse.

[king ubu]

The Messengers date with Monk is also a good recommendation. I don't play that one enough. The Penguin Guide gives it a crown, and it's well deserving of one. I think Johnny Griffin understood/gelled with Monk just as well as, if not sometimes better than, Charlie Rouse.

I have that filed with the other Blakey recordings... probably I should move it to Monk to play it more? It's very good, with some awesome Griff solos!

[paul secor]

I have mine filed under Blakey because he was the leader. That said, Monk is the main man on that date. Blakey and Griff play some fine things, but Monk is the deal.

[B. Clugston]

Monk's Music, Thelonious in Action, the Prestige set, Big Band and Quartet, At the Blackhawk... Get shopping!

[DanG]

Here is what I have...

The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall

If you liked this, try Thelonious Monk Big Band and Quartet in Concert. I think it's even better. Get the CD for the full, unabridged concert. What is amazing to me is the big band is voiced like Monk's piano, underscoring Monk's genius in a fantastic way.

[BruceH]

I'd say Brilliant Corners and Monk's Music are must-buys... Also agree with the recs for Thelonious In Action, Misterioso, and the Prestige material. First, some of the Prestige stuff ranks up there with his best, and since there's only 2 or 3 albums worth of it, you might as well get the whole kit and kaboodle. (Or whole shebang, if you prefer.)

[Late]

I'm still waiting for Columbia to re-remaster and reissue the big band set. The old Legacy issues with the border were ... :bwallace2:

[Patrick]

The beauty of this board is the enthusiasm for such great music. I'm always amused that a request for recommendations frequently ends up including practically every available title (as well as a few unavailable ones). And with Monk, would that be wrong? Put my votes in for the previously mentioned Brilliant Corners, Misterioso, and In Action. Hopefully we'll have another Concord blowout that includes more Monk titles (as well as Lateef,...).

Anyone a fan of Monk's Blues (Columbia) or Monk in France (Riverside)? I own neither title, and haven't heard good things.

How do the Thelonious Records live dates (Stockholm, Paris, NY) compare to say Jazz Workshop, It Club, Tokyo? More for completists, or ...

[Hot Ptah]

In my opinion, Brilliant Corners is the next choice.

[Guy Berger]

Here is what I have... what should I get next?

It seems to me that two biggies you are missing are Monk's Music and Brilliant Corners. These are "consensus classics".

After that, I would recommend the Prestige recordings in the following order: The Thelonious Monk Trio, Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins, MONK.

Guy

Edited October 14, 2006 by Guy

[GA Russell]

Anyone a fan of Monk's Blues (Columbia) or Monk in France (Riverside)? I own neither title, and haven't heard good things.

I have Monk in France. It was included in a twofer entitled Two Hours with Thelonious, issued about 1969 when ABC owned the Riverside catalogue.

No big deal, in my opinion. It's my least favorite Monk album. But then, his recordings with Charlie Rouse in the quartet are my least favorites.

[jazzbo]

The beauty of this board is the enthusiasm for such great music. I'm always amused that a request for recommendations frequently ends up including practically every available title (as well as a few unavailable ones). And with Monk, would that be wrong? Put my votes in for the previously mentioned Brilliant Corners, Misterioso, and In Action. Hopefully we'll have another Concord blowout that includes more Monk titles (as well as Lateef,...).

Anyone a fan of Monk's Blues (Columbia) or Monk in France (Riverside)? I own neither title, and haven't heard good things.

How do the Thelonious Records live dates (Stockholm, Paris, NY) compare to say Jazz Workshop, It Club, Tokyo? More for completists, or ...

I really like the Family cds. Transformer I find fascinating, following one tune through development as a solo piece and then several live quartet versions.

The Stockholm and Paris have very good performances and quite good sound. The NY has inferior sound to the others but a great performance. I bought all these when they first appeared (in fact I preordered them) and I'm glad I did.

[BruceH]

It occurs to me that two of the three Prestige albums include Sonny Rollins in the lineup. You might want to keep that in mind. In fact, Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins has (if memory serves) a version of "Work" that is one of my favorite tracks in the entire Monk discography.

But get Brilliant Corners and Monk's Music next. You won't be sorry.

[Chuck Nessa]

IF YOU DON'T HAVE BRILLIANT CORNERS AND MONK'S MUSIC GET THE FRIGGIN DISCS.

Sorry to be so rude, but Jeez.