Monk: Live at the It Club Complete

[CJ Shearn]

well, one of my best friends got me this for a belated b-day gift. Funny cuz I was looking at it in the store the other day. How is this set, from all the more experienced Monk listeners here?

[Guy Berger]

It's fantastic.

Guy

[Spontooneous]

Yep, that IS one of your best friends. Magnificent set, especially on the uptempo pieces. Probably my favorite "Well You Needn't," with one of the best Rouse solos I've ever heard.

And in case you're wondering, the nearly contemporary "Jazz Workshop" set is weaker when on the uptempo pieces, but the deep-blue slower pieces make it a keeper too.

Edited June 23, 2007 by Spontooneous

[couw]

yes

[CJ Shearn]

cool. Thanks. She would like to buy herself that album as well.

[AndrewHill]

Excellent date, along with these other Columbia live dates: Workshop, Tokyo and Newport '63 + '65.

[Bright Moments]

i listed this in the one artist - one cd thread as THE monk cd!

[WD45]

wonderful sound, too! My first and favorite Monk discs.

[jazzbo]

So much better than the original two lp set. . .clearer sound (no added reverb) and expanded.

And the lp set was fantastic!

I STILL would have to say the Blue Note peiriod is my favorite Monk, but live Columiba Monk is really a contender for that title.

[felser]

So much better than the original two lp set. . .clearer sound (no added reverb) and expanded.

And the lp set was fantastic!

I STILL would have to say the Blue Note peiriod is my favorite Monk, but live Columiba Monk is really a contender for that title.

I love all of the Columbia live quartet releases, and this one is as good as or better than any of the others.

[mikeweil]

One more time for: It's just as good as the other Columbia live dates - although I like the quartet with Dunlop better.

[Chuck Nessa]

This is an amazing document but I must say the edited lp version gave me a more positive feeling for the gig. Monk seems very happy/engaged on this job and the same energy does not seem to carry over to the subsequent Jazz Workshop gig. The Workshop set is fine, just not the same.

Dumped the vinyl when the cds arrived and I felt a bit of a "let-down". I would never dispose of the cds but wish I still had the vinyl.

I will probably start another topic comparing the two versions of the Jazz Workshop packages. I find disturbing timing discrepancies between issues.

[AndrewHill]

Oh boy, Tokyo, Workshop and Newport are all OOP? What a drag. At least the It Club date still seems available. What is going on? I'm really surprised that Columbia allowed these to slip away.

[Chuck Nessa]

Oh boy, Tokyo, Workshop and Newport are all OOP? What a drag. At least the It Club date still seems available. What is going on? I'm really surprised that Columbia allowed these to slip away.

Please UNDERSTAND, the recording biz as known here is imploding. Get what 'cha wanna.

[AndrewHill]

Oh boy, Tokyo, Workshop and Newport are all OOP? What a drag. At least the It Club date still seems available. What is going on? I'm really surprised that Columbia allowed these to slip away.

Please UNDERSTAND, the recording biz as known here is imploding. Get what 'cha wanna.

I guess. I have these, and I feel fortunate that I do! Its sad that anyone who discovers this music will never be able to dig deep because it won't be available. That's a real disappointment

[Big Al]

I like this set a lot. The bits where Monk lays out and lets Rouse solo over just bass-n-drums are flat-out amazing; how he keeps coming up with fresh ideas with each chorus in EACH SONG still makes me shake my head in wonder.

I just wish there was a way to see Monk dancing while Charlie is playing.

Having said that, I could do without a bass solo and a drum solo in EVERY SONG! More often than not, they kill the momentum, making this something of a tiring listening experience. I'm assuming not all of these bass & drum solos were on the vinyl?

[Guy Berger]

I like this set a lot. The bits where Monk lays out and lets Rouse solo over just bass-n-drums are flat-out amazing; how he keeps coming up with fresh ideas with each chorus in EACH SONG still makes me shake my head in wonder.

I definitely prefer the parts where Monk comps behind Rouse, but that's because I'm a huge fan of Monk's comping. I think it's just as interesting as his solos.

Having said that, I could do without a bass solo and a drum solo in EVERY SONG! More often than not, they kill the momentum, making this something of a tiring listening experience. I'm assuming not all of these bass & drum solos were on the vinyl?

I agree that they aren't that exciting, but I prefer having them there. I don't feel they detract from the music and hey, they're part of the story.

The charm of this set, to me, is that it's just "another gig" (albeit a very good one) for Monk and the guys. The other members of the band aren't superstars and it allows the spotlight to shine on Monk.

Guy

[marcello]

Guy, I like this set a lot. It's a pleasure.

Rouse is really great on "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are".