Monk - Complete Riverside Vs Riverside Albums

[Teasing the Korean]

There appear to be two Monk box sets.

The Riverside Albums set has 16 discs and no bonus tracks.

The Complete is on 15 discs.

Can anyone answer these questions:

1 - Does the Complete include alternate takes?

2 - Does either set retain the original album track lineups and artwork?

3 - Is the mastering any better or worse on either?

Thanks in advance.

[mikeweil]

Since I have only the "Complete" set, I can only answer points 1. and 2:

1. - Yes it has an handful of alternates and unreleased tracks - especially of the "Five by Monk by Five" and the Solo piano sessions. Some of it was added to OJC reissues.

2. the "Complete"set is in recording order where known and has two pages of original covers in the booklet.

Hope that helps a bit ...

[king ubu]

I guess that...

the albums set likely has just tracklists and discographical infos and no notes whatsoever.

Also it may not contain some bonus tracks (I think the Monk box had a few prev. unreleased dates included), rather it should more or less be a straight reissue of the OJCCD reissues.

And it will use any previously available remastering.

But I don't have it and the above is stated with respect to the Rollins Prestige albums box and several posts about the Ellington Carnegie box using the same (Cedar-ized in that case) remasterings as the old Fantasy 2CD sets.

[J.A.W.]

The 2010 Universal 16CD-box All Monk - The Riverside Albums is a repackaging of Monk's 16 OJC/Riverside/Jazzland CDs in album order, so there's nothing new; the same OJC masterings were used. The 15CD-box The Complete Riverside Recordings has more extra stuff than was included on the OJC CDs.

Edited February 27, 2012 by J.A.W.

[king ubu]

Thanks for confirming, Hans.

[Teasing the Korean]

So it sounds like, if I want alternate takes, I should get the "complete" set, but if I want to recreate the album experience, I should get the "Album" set.

Trouble is, I want both, but will probably buy only one or the other...

Thanks for the replies!

Edited February 27, 2012 by Teasing the Korean

[JSngry]

I'd say to get the Complete set and burn/playlist accordingly. I'm sure the cover/liner notes can be found.

[jeffcrom]

I got the "Complete" set the week it was issued, and love it, although I often program the tracks to reproduce the original albums - easy enough to find the info through the tubes of the internet.

[Chuck Nessa]

The internet has tubes?!!!

[jeffcrom]

The internet has tubes?!!!

A series of them!

[JSngry]

A Internet Is A Woman

[romualdo]

So it sounds like, if I want alternate takes, I should get the "complete" set, but if I want to recreate the album experience, I should get the "Album" set.

Trouble is, I want both, but will probably buy only one or the other...

Thanks for the replies!

My compromise is

Complete original 15CD set (1986 Fantasy) - essential!!

plus the new 24bit remasters from recent years & current rereleases

4 Keepnews (Plays Ellington, Brilliant Corners, Thelonious Himself, At Town Hall), 3 OJC remasters (With John Coltrane, Alone In San Francisco, Monk's Music) plus the double set from 2006 (TM with JC).

plus the 2001 K2 mono version of Monk's Music - sounds better than the stereo counterpart (has been a separate thread on this)

[Teasing the Korean]

plus the 2001 K2 mono version of Monk's Music - sounds better than the stereo counterpart (has been a separate thread on this)

So I take it this session is in stereo on both boxes? I've had the mono LP for ages and was really disappointed when I got the stereo CD; the bass is buried.

[J.A.W.]

plus the 2001 K2 mono version of Monk's Music - sounds better than the stereo counterpart (has been a separate thread on this)

So I take it this session is in stereo on both boxes? I've had the mono LP for ages and was really disappointed when I got the stereo CD; the bass is buried.

On the Complete Riverside Recordings - at least on my Japanese box - it's in both mono and stereo.

[DMP]

The older 15 CD set is terrific - maybe the most enjoyable box set I own. And where else can you hear that session with Shelly Manne?

[romualdo]

On the Complete Riverside Recordings - at least on my Japanese box - it's in both mono and stereo.

Here's the breakdown on the US 15 CD box

following the LP sequence

Abide With Me - Stereo (Mono in K2)

Well, You Needn't - Stereo (Mono in K2)

Ruby, My Dear (Coleman Hawkins) - Stereo (mono in K2)

Off Minor (tk 5) - stereo (mono in K2)

Epistrophy - stereo (mono in K2)

Crepuscle With Nellie (tk 6) - mono (mono in K2)

non LP (CD bonus)

Off Minor (tk 4) - mono (mono in K2)

Crepuscle With Nellie (tks 4 & 5) - stereo (stereo in K2)

Blues For Tomorrow (Monk absent) - mono (not on K2) -> the stereo version was first issued on the 2006 Riverside twofer (TM & JC); also stereo on the recent OJC remaster

Hans, I'm interested to know the details of the Japanese box - are there both mono & stereo versions of these titles?

Also the European 20bit Digipak OJC of Monk's Music is also mono (same as US K2)

Edited February 28, 2012 by romualdo

[J.A.W.]

On the Complete Riverside Recordings - at least on my Japanese box - it's in both mono and stereo.

Here's the breakdown on the US 15 CD box

following the LP sequence

Abide With Me - Stereo (Mono in K2)

Well, You Needn't - Stereo (Mono in K2)

Ruby, My Dear (Coleman Hawkins) - Stereo (mono in K2)

Off Minor (tk 5) - stereo (mono in K2)

Epistrophy - stereo (mono in K2)

Crepuscle With Nellie (tk 6) - mono (mono in K2)

non LP (CD bonus)

Off Minor (tk 4) - mono (mono in K2)

Crepuscle With Nellie (tks 4 & 5) - stereo (stereo in K2)

Blues For Tomorrow (Monk absent) - mono (not on K2) -> the stereo version was first issued on the 2006 Riverside twofer (TM & JC); also stereo on the recent OJC remaster

Hans, I'm interested to know the details of the Japanese box - are there both mono & stereo versions of these titles?

Also the European 20bit Digipak OJC of Monk's Music is also mono (same as US K2)

These titles appear on my Japanese box (Riverside VDJ-25010~24):

Crepuscule with Nellie (take 1, stereo)

Crepuscule with Nellie-breakdown (stereo)

Blues for Tomorrow (mono)

Off Minor (take 4, mono)

Off Minor (take 5, stereo)

Abide with Me (stereo)

Crepuscule with Nellie (take 4/5, stereo)

Crepuscule with Nellie (take 6, mono)

Epistrophy-fragment (mono)

Epistrophy (stereo)

Well, You Needn't-opening (stereo)

Well, You Needn't (stereo)

Ruby, My Dear (with Coleman Hawkins, stereo)

Ruby, My Dear (with John Coltrane, mono)

I didn't do a thorough check, but there seem to be tracks that appeared only on the K2.

Avoid that 20-bit remastered German digipak reissue, the sound is horrendous.

[romualdo]

These titles appear on my Japanese box (Riverside VDJ-25010~24):

Crepuscule with Nellie (take 1, stereo)

Crepuscule with Nellie-breakdown (stereo)

Blues for Tomorrow (mono)

Off Minor (take 4, mono)

Off Minor (take 5, stereo)

Abide with Me (stereo)

Crepuscule with Nellie (take 4/5, stereo)

Crepuscule with Nellie (take 6, mono)

Epistrophy-fragment (mono)

Epistrophy (stereo)

Well, You Needn't-opening (stereo)

Well, You Needn't (stereo)

Ruby, My Dear (with Coleman Hawkins, stereo)

Ruby, My Dear (with John Coltrane, mono)

I didn't do a thorough check, but there seem to be tracks that appeared only on the K2.

Avoid that 20-bit remastered German digipak reissue, the sound is horrendous.

The above track listing & order is identical to the US set (including mono, stereo)

Would have to concur with the description of the euro 20 bit OJC