Monk: Complete Last Recordings [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]

[Gheorghe]

25 minutes ago, romualdo said:

The 72 (Village Vanguard) & 75 (Newport Festival, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC) recordings were released in 2009 on a double CD spanish boot plus I sourced a FLAC of the 72 concert a few years ago - I'm surprised no one has officially released these - the SQ sounds pretty good to me - I've heard much much worse.

When Robin Kelly knew (I've communicated with him a number of times) I had these recordings he asked for a copy (he didn't have this music himself) but it was for TS Monk who played on both dates and was very very interested in hearing it, again!!

I Was happy to oblige & he sent me some unreleased Monk in return.

There would be much to do to release later Monk. First of all, I never found the Giants of Jazz from Switzerland, which would be interesting since I read that they play much more Monk tunes than on the  London release.

Then I have read that Monk played with a larger orchestra at Carnegie Hall about the same time. 
And besides the two Newport Festival gigs I think I read something about a concert with more than just one horn. 

As good as Monk sounded even in later years it is hard for me to understand why he stopped playing. I think it must be hard to just retire after decades of playing music, and 50odd years is not quite the age of retirement for a pianist. Especially when during the late 70s there was a new interest in acoustic jazz, there would have been huge success and money for someone like Monk. It´s significant that Dexter had so much success starting from the late 70´s.....

[romualdo]

26 minutes ago, Gheorghe said:

As good as Monk sounded even in later years it is hard for me to understand why he stopped playing. 

His general psychological state & health (including mental) issues would have been a major contributing factor from what I've read

[Gheorghe]

2 hours ago, romualdo said:

His general psychological state & health (including mental) issues would have been a major contributing factor from what I've read

Really sad. I remember I always hoped he would come back, like Miles who came back after 5 years. And later Henry Grimes after decades.......

[John L]

15 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

Really sad. I remember I always hoped he would come back, like Miles who came back after 5 years. And later Henry Grimes after decades.......

When I became a jazz fan in the mid-1970s, my biggest hope was that Monk would come again to the West Coast where I was living.  It never happened.